Qatar bans sale of beer at World Cup stadiums in about-face

With only two days until the inaugural game, Qatar abruptly reversed course on the agreement it had made to win the World Cup and outlawed the sale of beer in World Cup stadiums on Friday.

The action was the most recent indication of the strain surrounding holding the event, which is both a sports competition and a month-long celebration, in the autocratic nation where alcohol sales are severely limited. Additionally, it deals a serious damage to World Cup beer sponsor Budweiser and raises concerns about the degree of influence FIFA still has over the competition.

Although FIFA’s demand for the sale of alcohol in stadiums was something Qatar agreed to when it originally announced its candidacy to host the World Cup, the specifics weren’t made public until September, only 11 weeks before the first game. This suggests how difficult the discussions may have been. According to a statement released by FIFA on Friday, non-alcoholic beer will continue to be sold at the eight stadiums, while other alcoholic beverages will be supplied in the opulent hospitality areas of the venues.

However, the majority of ticket holders do not have access to those locations; instead, they can have alcoholic beer in the FIFA Fan Festival, a designated party area that also has live entertainment and other activities. Although the sale of alcohol has long been authorized in hotel bars, Qatar places severe restrictions on its consumption outside of the locations where the tournament is being held.