World Cup 2022: No alcohol gross sales permitted at Qatar’s stadium websites, says FIFA

FIFA has made the choice to ban the sale of alcohol to followers at World Cup stadiums in Qatar.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Nov 18, 2022 18:07 IST

No alcohol gross sales permitted at Qatar’s World Cup stadium websites: FIFA (AFP)

By India Today Web Desk: World soccer governing physique FIFA stated in an announcement on Friday that alcoholic beer won’t be bought at World Cup stadiums in Qatar. Non-alcoholic beer will nonetheless be bought on the 64 matches within the nation.

“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,” a FIFA spokesperson stated within the assertion.

Budweiser, a significant World Cup sponsor owned by AB InBev, was to promote alcoholic beer completely inside the ticketed perimeter surrounding every of the eight stadiums three hours earlier than and one hour after every recreation.

“Tournament organisers appreciate AB InBev’s understanding and continuous support to our joint commitment to cater for everyone during the FIFA World Cup,” the assertion stated. The reversal of that coverage comes after long-term negotiations between FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Budweiser, and executives from Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), which is organising the World Cup, a supply with data of the negotiations instructed Reuters on situation of anonymity.

“A larger number of fans are attending from across the Middle East and South Asia, where alcohol doesn’t play such a large role in the culture,” the supply was quoted as saying by Reuters. “The thinking was that, for many fans, the presence of alcohol would not create an enjoyable experience.”

Questions have swirled across the function alcohol would play at this 12 months’s World Cup since Qatar gained internet hosting rights in 2010. While not a “dry” state like neighbouring Saudi Arabia, consuming alcohol in public locations is against the law in Qatar.

Visitors should not permitted to carry alcohol into Qatar, even from the airport’s duty-free part, and most should not permitted to buy alcohol from the nation’s sole liquor retailer. Alcohol is bought in some resort bars, with beer costing round $15 per half-liter.

Published On:

Nov 18, 2022