November 18, (THEWILL) –Â The Qatar World Cup will not allow beer sales inside stadiums, due to pressure from the nation’s all-powerful royal family, which forced FIFA to reverse course just 48 hours before the competition kicks off.
Concourse sales would likely be prohibited, contrary to earlier plans that were going to allow fans to purchase alcohol inside designated fan zones and on stadium concourses during specific hours. According to Qatari law, foreigners may also purchase alcohol from hotels and restaurants with a licence.
Those with inside knowledge of the decision have been briefing journalists in advance, but an official announcement is imminent. The action puts Fifa at odds with Budweiser, one of the tournament’s major sponsors and the subject of a lucrative promotion agreement with the organising body.
The World Cup, the first to be held in a Muslim country, has already been dogged by controversy. The latest controversy has pitted football’s governing ethos and traditional trappings against the hosts’ conservative interpretation of Islam.
The norm in Qatar is abstinence, with non-Muslim locals only permitted to drink at home with a special permit and foreigners only permitted to purchase alcohol in locations with a licence.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
