Alcohol will not be sold at the 2034 World Cup stadiums due to Saudi Arabian laws
Kyiv • UNN
FIFA has no plans to sell alcohol at stadiums during the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia due to local laws. This decision was made taking into account the experience of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the conservative policy of the host country.
Football fans will be banned from drinking alcohol at the stadiums of the 2034 World Cup following controversial tournament rules in Saudi Arabia, UNN reports, citing The Guardian.
Details
FIFA has not raised the issue of alcohol publicly, but sources told The Guardian that beer will not be sold during matches. Unlike many other Muslim countries, the sale of alcohol in Saudi Arabia remains prohibited even in luxury hotels. For example, in 1952, King Ibn Saud banned alcohol in Saudi Arabia. And only one store in the country's capital sold alcoholic beverages, but not to Muslim diplomats and under strict control and quotas.
FIFA has reportedly learned lessons from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when it banned the sale of beer at stadiums two days before the tournament. Tens of thousands of kegs of Budweiser beer were removed from the stadiums, costing FIFA approximately 40 million pounds in compensation to its sponsor AB InBev, the owner of Budweiser.
Only Bud Zero beer and soft drinks were sold at the World Cup stadiums, although beer was available in one FIFA fan zone.
But even so, AB InBev has extended its commercial partnership with FIFA, which dates back to 1986, until the 2026 World Cup. The company has also agreed to sponsor the Club World Cup next year, and during the negotiations, it is known to have asked for clarification of FIFA's plans for 2034.
The International Football Federation has noted that the sale of alcohol at stadiums is not on the agenda, given that the position on fan zones and hotels will be unclear for another decade.
Saudi Arabia is a much more conservative country than Qatar, with several pubs in its capital and alcohol sales allowed in luxury hotels.
FIFA sources also said that they do not plan to put pressure on the Saudi government to relax its laws. The liquor store in Riyadh was opened as an attempt to stop the illegal sale of alcohol by diplomats who smuggled bottles of alcohol into the country, not as a first step towards legalizing alcohol.
Recall
FIFA has responded to the UAF's appeal regarding the incorrect image of the map of Ukraine without Crimea. The organization stated that the map was created by an external contractor and promised not to make similar mistakes.
