No alcohol sales permitted at Qatar's stadium – source
In a reversal, World Cup organisers will announce on Friday that no alcoholic beer will be sold to fans at Qatar's stadiums, a source with knowledge of the decision told Reuters.
The expected announcement comes two days before Sunday's kickoff of the World Cup, the first to be held in a conservative Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol, the consumption of which is banned in public.
"A larger number of fans are attending from across the Middle East and South Asia, where alcohol doesn’t play such a large role in the culture,” the source said on condition of anonymity because he was speaking ahead of an announcement.
"The thinking was that, for many fans, the presence of alcohol would not create an enjoyable experience." Budweiser, a major World Cup sponsor with exclusive rights to sell beer at the tournament, was to sell alcoholic beer within the ticketed perimeter surrounding each of the eight stadiums three hours before and one hour after each game.
But the reversal of that policy comes after long-term negotiations between FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Budweiser, and executives from Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), which is organising the World Cup, the source said. Alcohol will still be served inside the stadium hospitality zones, the source added. Neither Budweiser, FIFA nor the SC responded to Reuters' request for comment.
Questions have swirled around the role alcohol would play at this year's World Cup since Qatar won hosting rights in 2010. While not a "dry" state like neighbouring Saudi Arabia, consuming alcohol in public places is illegal in Qatar. Visitors cannot bring alcohol into Qatar, even from the airport's duty free section, and most cannot buy alcohol at the country's only liquor store.
Alcohol is sold in bars at some hotels, where beer costs around $15 per half-litre. Budweiser will still sell alcoholic beer at the main FIFA Fan Fest in central Doha, the source said, where it is offered for about $14 per half pint. Alcohol will also be sold in some other fan zones whereas others are alcohol-free. "Fans can decide where they want to go without feeling uncomfortable. At stadiums, this was previously not the case," the source said.
-
Weather update for second Pak vs Ban second Test match day oneOver 82% of family reunion applicants in North America uncontactable: unification ministry认真组织 保障有力 天全县公安局圆满完成“清网行动”认真组织 保障有力 天全县公安局圆满完成“清网行动”Top 10 Tech PranksHundreds handed over their Tinder to a chatbot to get young people to voteToyota unveils selfLabor minister vows to let artists receive employment insuranceDOJ accuses TikTok of collecting and sharing users' personal views, as the app fights a ban名山巡警大队加强队伍管理出成效
- ·[Online Predators] Deepfake pornography haunts S. Korea
- ·天全:看望受灾人员(高清)
- ·认真组织 保障有力 天全县公安局圆满完成“清网行动”
- ·The civilian evacuation of Aleppo, Syria, has been suspended.
- ·Revolutionary grid
- ·Over 90% of S. Koreans say N. Korea's denuclearization impossible
- ·Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson, who has close Russia ties, is front
- ·名山县公安局积极开展街头法制宣传活动
- ·高温难耐,工会驿站化身“清凉小屋”
- ·Nintendo is on pace to become the best selling console of all time
- ·天全:看望受灾人员(高清)
- ·Royal family introduces social media rules following online abuse of Meghan and Kate
- ·U.S. Senators call on FTC to investigate the security of drivers' data
- ·'Captain Marvel' world premiere goes higher, further, faster
- ·N. Korea to hold arts festival marking late leader's birth anniversary
- ·Premier League clubs reject 'Project Big Picture'
- ·How 3D Game Rendering Works: Texturing
- ·Mbappe scores twice to push PSG to top
- ·S. Korea to include green projects in 'New Deal' plan
- ·LG robots are here to serve, with some kinks
- ·How to unblock Xnxx for free
- ·The Bering Strait should be covered in ice, but it's almost all gone
- ·21个国家猪肉将涌入中国市场!或接近2000万头猪!
- ·Sullivan, NATO chief voice concerns over arms transfers between N. Korea, Russia
- ·应对高温 户外驿站送清凉
- ·绿美广东,“气质”非凡!2023全国环境空气质量状况公布
- ·Understanding Relational vs. Non
- ·Who to follow on Twitter so you don't have watch the Comey testimony
- ·Mbappe scores twice to push PSG to top
- ·S. Korea's virus recovery rate nears 90%
- ·尝“鲜”盛宴,等你来探!2024年清远西牛麻竹笋尝鲜季即将启幕
- ·S. Korea to include green projects in 'New Deal' plan
- ·【抗震救灾·雅电魂】人物志:“你们不要动,我去操作!”——记国家电网芦山响水滩电站站长余志清
- ·Facebook won't let users disable the phone number look up setting
- ·Michael Cohen fights Donald Trump at the Supreme Court.
- ·Polar bears at the Cincinnati Zoo are pooping glitter for science