Beer Sales To Be Banned At Stadiums

Qatari officials have banned the sale of alcoholic beer at World Cup stadiums in an abrupt U-turn on alcohol policy just days before the tournament begins.

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A FIFA statement said: “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.

“There is no impact to the sale of Bud Zero which will remain available at all Qatar’s World Cup stadiums.

“Host country authorities and FIFA will continue to ensure that the stadiums and surrounding areas provide an enjoyable, respectful and pleasant experience for all fans.

Fans will not be allowed to buy alcohol around World Cup stadiums.

“The tournament organisers appreciate AB InBev’s understanding and continuous support to our joint commitment to cater for everyone during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”

World Cup organisers had previously said Budweiser would be available for sale at stadium perimeters from three hours before kick-off and until one hour after final whistle.

Budweiser is an official FIFA partner and has a contract reported to be worth £63m. As one of Fifa’s biggest sponsors, Budweiser had exclusive rights to sell beer at World Cup matches. The company remains one of Fifa’s key partners and if alcohol sales are indeed banned, Fifa may be in breach of it’s multi-million dollar contract with the company.

England midfielder James Maddison has not trained with the squad for the second day in a row, with the player looking unlikely to feature against Iran.

Fifa has faced years of criticism for its decision to bring the World Cup to Qatar, and controversy has continued to plague the event as the opening game nears. Last week, Qatari officials apologized after security threatened to break the camera of Denmark’s TV2 during a live broadcast. The tournament’s organizers also had to reject accusations of fake fans parading in the streets in Doha while a social media video of basic-looking accommodation garnered millions of hits online.

The World Cup starts Sunday with Qatar, the host nation, facing Ecuador in the opening match.