DOHA —
Beer will not be sold inside stadiums during
World Cup matches in Qatar, where
alcohol is severely restricted, but FIFA said Saturday that drinking will be
allowed in the stadium zone before and after games.
اضافة اعلان
The global body
gave first details of beer sales after months of sensitive talks with
authorities in the conservative Muslim Gulf state.
The issue is
important for
FIFA as beer-maker Budweiser has been a major sponsor for three
decades while foreign fans have also questioned what to expect at the November
20-December 18 tournament.
Qatar has
predicted more than one million visitors for the World Cup.
A source with
knowledge of the plans said beer stands would open in zones around stadiums
when gates open for a match and close 30 minutes before each game starts.
The source said
stands would reopen for a short time after the game.
FIFA did not
confirm times but a spokesperson said it had focused on “catering for those who
wish to enjoy an alcoholic drink while being respectful towards the local
culture”.
In a statement to
AFP, the spokesperson said “ticket-holders” would get access to beer “within
the stadium perimeter prior to kick-off and after the final whistle.”
Inside stadiums,
only Budweiser’s zero-alcohol beer and soft-drinks would be available, the
spokesperson added.
Coca-Cola,
another huge sponsor, has the sole right to sell non-alcoholic drinks at the
eight stadiums to be used for the first World Cup in a Muslim nation.
Alcohol is a
sensitive topic at stadiums around the world. In England, most Premier League
clubs allow beer sales inside stadiums but fans cannot drink in sight of the pitch.
While alcohol is
not banned in Qatar as it is in neighboring Saudi Arabia, it is only sold in
about 35 international hotels and restaurants. Foreign residents can buy
alcohol in government stores. Drinking in public is illegal.
Budweiser’s
parent company, AB InBev, did not comment on FIFA’s plans but has in the past
said it was looking for “respectful” ways to sell its product at the Qatar
World Cup.
Beer has
traditionally been sold at fan zones throughout the day at previous World Cups.
But the FIFA
spokesman said it would only be available from 6:30pm at the FIFA Fan Festival
zone in Doha.
Qatar’s World Cup
organizers, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, have not given
details of alcohol sales in the fan zones it is organizing.
It tested beer
sales at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019 when a glass of beer cost about $7 at
a special zone on the edge of Doha. Only a few thousand foreign fans were
present.
Industry sources
have said that fans may have to buy tickets to get access to the local non-FIFA
zones where beer is sold at the World Cup.
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