On second thought, FIFA changes course and bans beer around World Cup stadiums in Qatar
In a last-minute reversal, 48 hours before the World Cup opening game, Qatari officials decided to ban alcohol in and around stadiums.
For months, world soccer governing body FIFA, local organizers and Budweiser, a longtime major tournament sponsor, have been in talks about how to handle beer sales in a conservative Muslim country where the consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited in most public areas.
They seemed to have reached a compromise which would have allowed beer to be sold in designated fan zones and within stadium perimeters, but not in the stadiums themselves. Last week, Qatar officials began backpedaling, reportedly demanding that beer tents be moved to less visible locations farther from the stadiums.
Friday, FIFA announced the sale of alcohol will be permitted only in the fan festival area.
“Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues removing sales points of beer from Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters,” the announcement said.
“There is no impact to the sale of (non-alcoholic) Bud Zero which will remain available at all Qatar’s World Cup stadiums,” the statement added. “Host country authorities and FIFA will continue to ensure that the stadiums and surrounding areas provide an enjoyable, respectful and pleasant experience for all fans.”
Budweiser, which has a $75 million sponsorship agreement with the World Cup, has been the tournament’s exclusive beer distributor since 1986. Budweiser’s official Twitter account posted “Well, this is awkward,” when the news was announced, but then deleted the post.
This story was originally published November 18, 2022 at 11:16 AM.