Fifa 2022: Fans are not allowed to buy alcohol around the Qatar stadiums

Beer will not be sold in any of the eight stadiums where the FIFA World Cup will be held. The tournament, which has been a decade in the making and is typically the world’s largest sporting event, begins on Sunday. This decision follows months of conflict between them and FIFA, the world’s governing body of football. Initially, FIFA sponsor Budweiser was the only beer allowed to be sold at official Qatar World Cup venues.

The decision to prohibit alcohol sales in stadiums differs from Qatar’s previous position. Alcohol will be available in designated “fan zones” outside stadiums and other hospitality venues, according to the Supreme Committee on Delivery and Legacy.

The World Cup organisers in Qatar finalised a policy in September to serve beer with alcohol to football fans in stadiums and fan zones. The FIFA World Cup kicks off on November 20, with the hosts taking on Ecuador in the opening match of the much-anticipated football tournament. The tournament has been in the news for a variety of reasons, including scheduling issues caused by Qatar’s summer heat and the treatment of migrant workers.

Alcohol is prohibited in almost all restaurants in Qatar that are not affiliated with a high-end hotel or resort. Foreign residents with employer permission can also purchase bottles of liquor, beer, and wine for home consumption from a single Qatar Airways-run depot on the outskirts of Doha. FIFA and AB Inbev, the maker of Budweiser, have been working together since 1986 and are pushing for more concessions. They had previous success when Brazil passed the so-called Budweiser Bill to overturn local laws prohibiting beer in stadiums during the 2014 World Cup.