DOHA, Nov 18 (Reuters) – Alcoholic beer will not be sold at Qatar’s World Cup stadiums, world football’s governing body Fifa said on Friday, a last-minute reversal that sparked some supporters’ calls for the host country to cash in on fans. Doubts about the ability to commit.
The news comes two days before the World Cup kicks off on Sunday, the first time it will be held in a conservative Muslim country with strict alcohol controls, banning alcohol in public.
“Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, it has been decided to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on FIFA Fan Festivals, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing beer sales from around stadiums for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar point,” a FIFA spokesman said in a statement.
The Football Supporters’ Association in England said the decision had raised concerns about Qatar’s ability to meet its commitments to visiting fans in terms of “accommodation, transport or cultural issues”.
For years, tournament organizers in Qatar have said alcohol is widely available to fans at games.
“Some fans like to drink beer at the game, some don’t, but the real problem is the last-minute U-turn, which speaks to a wider problem – a complete lack of communication and clarity between the organizing committee and the supporters,” he said. The association said in a statement on Twitter.
Qatar, the smallest country to host the World Cup, is expected to have 1.2 million fans in attendance for the month-long tournament, more than a third of the Gulf Arab nation’s 3 million people.
Budweiser, the main World Cup sponsor owned by brewer AB InBev, will exclusively sell the alcoholic beer in ticketed areas around eight stadiums three hours before and one hour after each game.
“Due to circumstances beyond our control, some planned phase activations could not proceed,” AB InBev said in a statement.
Someone in the company summed up the situation in a meaner way. “Okay this is embarrassing…” read a post on Budweiser’s official Twitter account. The comment was subsequently deleted and broadcast by the BBC as a screenshot.
Budweiser has been a World Cup sponsor since 1985, the year before the event was held in Mexico. Through 2022, it has launched its largest-ever campaign, running campaigns for Budweiser and other brands in more than 70 markets and 1.2 million bars, restaurants and retail stores.
The World Cup typically boosts beer consumption, and the Belgium-based maker of brands like Stella Artois and Corona is clearly hoping to cash in on the millions it pays out as a sponsor.
[1/3] FOOTBALL – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar – November 18, 2022 A Budweiser beer tent is pictured outside the stadium ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
However, it said those profits would come less from spending at event locations and more from fans watching TV.
“The event organizers thank Anheuser-Busch InBev for their understanding and continued support of our shared commitment to serve everyone during the World Cup,” the statement said.
long term negotiation
A source with knowledge of the talks told Reuters that the stadium is due to be closed after protracted negotiations between FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Budweiser and executives from Qatar’s top Delivery and Legacy Committee (SC). The reversal happened. anonymous.
SC did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, and FIFA did not confirm Infantino’s involvement.
“More fans are coming from the Middle East and South Asia, where alcohol doesn’t play such a big role in the culture,” the source said.
“The thinking at the time was that for many fans, the presence of alcohol would not make for a pleasant experience.”
Alcohol will continue to flow freely in the stadium’s VIP suites, with FIFA’s website touting a selection of beers, champagnes, sommelier’s selection of wines and premium spirits.
Budweiser will sell its non-alcoholic beer in the stadium for $8.25 a half liter, the statement said.
Questions have swirled over alcohol’s role in this year’s World Cup since Qatar won the bid in 2010. Although Qatar is not a “dry” country like neighboring Saudi Arabia, drinking alcohol in public is illegal in Qatar.
Tourists can’t bring alcohol into Qatar, not even from the airport’s duty-free zone, and most can’t buy alcohol at the country’s only liquor store. Some hotel bars sell alcoholic beverages for about $15 per half liter of beer.
Budweiser will still sell the alcoholic beer at the main FIFA Fan Fest in central Doha at about $14 a half liter, the sources said. Alcohol will also be sold in some other fan areas, while others will be non-alcoholic.
“Fans can decide where they want to go without feeling uncomfortable. At some stage, that wasn’t the case before,” the source said.
Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha, with contributions by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels and Manasi Pathak in Doha; Writing by Andrew Mills; Editing by Jan Harvey and Christian Radnedge
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.