Qatar 2022: No booze inside stadiums

Bengaluru, July 9: Qatar 2022 World Cup organisers have in principle decided to restrict the use of alocohol during the quadrennial extravaganza with fans being allowed allowed only to take only non-alcoholic drinks to their seats.

Beer with alcohol is still expected to be sold at Qatar 2022 World Cup stadiums as the game's global governing -- FIFA -- and the local organising committe (Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy) are still working on plans to serve all fans who want to drink at games during the tournament that starts on November 21, reports AP news agency.

Hospitality packages offering premium beverages at stadiums have been sold since February 2021, but a policy for most fans at the the venues and long-time World Cup sponsor Budweiser still needs to be finalized less than five months before the tournament.

The favored option is serving beer with alcohol in stadium compounds before and after games and allowing fans to take non-alcoholic Budweiser Zero to their seats.

"We'll be confirming and making things official in due course," a FIFA statement said.

FIFA said designs are still being looked into of possible branding for drinking containers fans would hold in areas that will be broadcast to hundreds of millions of viewers.

The Qatar 2022 World Cup is the first in the tournament's 92-year history to be played in a Muslim country with such strict social taboos around alcohol.

Questions about how Qatar would cater for fans wanting to drink alcohol have been asked since FIFA picked the host nation in 2010. The next year, FIFA renewed a sponsor deal through 2022 with Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch.

That partnership started at the 1986 Mexico World Cup. At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, pressure from FIFA led local lawmakers to pass a special bill exempting the tournament from a ban on selling alcohol at stadiums.

Local organisers were initially resistant to any alcohol being served at stadiums but promised a decade ago to come up with a plan that welcomes everyone.

"FIFA World Cup fans will be able to enjoy Budweiser Zero and Budweiser during the tournament," Anheuser-Busch said in a statement.

Qatar has tested its alcohol policies when hosting major football events including the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup -- an event that featured European champions Liverpool, South American champions Flamengo and Mexican club Monterrey.

At that tournament, a drinking zone was created at the Doha Golf Culb, situated in the outskirts of the city, selling beers for $6, much cheaper than typically available at high-end downtown hotels.

The Doha Golf Club is set to be considered again for the World Cup, which is scheduled from November 21 to December 18. Organisers expect about 1.2 million visitors at the 32-team tournament.

For the records, the Qatar 2022 will be a 28-day affair -- the shortest in FIFA World Cup history -- with the tiny Middle East country hosting the mega event at eight venues -- Khalifa International, Al Janoub, Educational City, Al Rayyan, Al Bayt, Al Thumama, Stadium 974 and Lusail.

It will be the first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Middle East and the entire Arab region.