With the World Cup just two days away, Qatar has banned the sale of beer at the stadiums where the FIFA World Cup 2022 matches will be played from November 2022. Earlier, official sponsor Budweiser was allowed to sell beer at the Qatar World Cup official venues. But now after rounds of talks between Qatar and FIFA officials, it has been decided that the sale of beer will be completely stopped within the stadiums, as per news reports. The sale of alcohol is strictly controlled in Qatar during the tournament period and will be available in areas outside match venues and fan zones, as well as inside hotels.
The sale of alcohol is strictly controlled in Qatar as drinking in public areas is strictly prohibited. The sale of alcohol during the tournament has been a major point of discussion between FIFA and the host country. Qatari chiefs had initially said that the land laws will be relaxed for the four-week period, making alcohol more accessible and affordable.
“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," FIFA said in a statement.