Fifa has banned the sale of alcohol at Qatar World Cup stadiums just 48 hours before the tournament starts – as sponsor Budweiser tried to make light of the news.
The beer brand’s Twitter feed posted ‘well, this is awkward…’ moments before Fifa confirmed that alcohol sales will be confined to special ‘fan zones’ where pints cost £12, are only available at certain times, and are limited to four per person.
Plans had called for alcohol to be sold on stadium concourses, but this will now not happen – reportedly after pressure from Qatar’s all-powerful royal family. Alcohol will be available as normal in licenced hotels and restaurants.
The move puts Fifa on a collision course with Budweiser, which is thought to have a sponsorship deal worth $75million with the organising body.
And the argument may yet drag Doha into a legal battle because officials agreed to respect FIFA’s commercial partners when launching their hosting bid, and again when signing contracts after winning the vote in 2010.
The rule-change is said to have been made following the request of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the brother of Qatar’s ruler.
It is just the latest controversy to plague an already fraught World Cup – the first to be held in a Muslim nation – which has thrown football’s governing ethos and traditional trappings into conflict with the hosts’ conservative interpretation of Islam.
Fans in Qatar reacted with a mix of anger and resignation at the ban, with 25-year-old England fan Alex Todd describing it as ‘madness’. ‘Why is the World Cup here when basic pleasures are taken from you,’ he asked.
Brian Davidson, the first fan in Qatar to drink an official World Cup beer said: ‘I’m devastated, it doesn’t make sense. What’s wrong with having a beer at a match?
‘Beer wasn’t going to be sold inside the stadiums anyhow, just on the concourse.
‘Millions of people are coming from all over the world and they just want to watch football, enjoy the sun and knock back a few beers.
‘I’ll just have to go to the Fan Zones or a hotel for a drink but it’s a real pity that the Qataris have implemented this ban.’
German fan Daniel Schwestka, 30, from Dusseldorf, said: ‘Football without beer is not football.’
He added: ‘I go to many matches even in the third German leagues, and you can have a beer. It is normal to drink beer at football and this is the World Cup.
‘When I arrived in Doha yesterday, I had two bottles of whiskey, my luggage and they took it from me at the airport.
‘I knew it was going be difficult to drink here. But how can they ban beer at the actual stadiums. It is ridiculous.’
The full 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.
‘The tournament organisers appreciate AB InBev’s understanding and continuous support to our joint commitment to cater for everyone during the World Cup.’
Fifa had already made one concession this week to the Qatari hosts on the availability of Budweiser in stadiums.
Organisers insisted the Budweiser concession stands were too noticeable, so Fifa agreed to move them into positions where they would be less visible. Such changes are highly unusual so close to the start of a tournament.
Just three months ago, Fifa also agreed to move the starting date of the tournament a day earlier so the hosts will be playing in the only match on that day. Qatar v Ecuador will now be played on November 20.
The only place alcohol can now be bought in or around stadiums will be in the hospitality boxes, which start at $22,450 per match. Those lucky enough to get a seat in a box are promised ‘soft drinks, beers, Champagne, sommelier-selected wines, and premium spirits’ both ‘before, during and after’ the game.
The sale of alcohol is hardly the only controversy that has plagued the Qatar World Cup, which is being played in the winter because summer temperatures in the desert nation frequently top 40C.
So for years they maintained the pretence of a western welcome, and western compromises and attitudes when, really, why should the hosts have to change their core beliefs? FIFA knew deep down where their World Cup was going and what they would be getting but Qatar went along with this airbrushed version of itself because, as the sign at the media centre in Doha says: ‘Now is all.’
Then, on Wednesday, when a journalist tried to take a photograph of that sign, he was asked to press delete by a security guard because this is now a Qatari World Cup and it is too late to do anything about that.
Recently, Qatar has started to flex its muscles after so much faux-compromise, which is why a beer is approaching £12, if you send out a search party and are prepared to queue.
And there is much that is Qatar’s fault, but not this. Because they don’t really want to sell you a beer, and they never wanted to sell you a beer, but it was FIFA’s price for taking their money. They thought the hosts should hold a p***-up, just without the brewery.
You will notice, however, that whatever the price of a pint, it never seems to be FIFA’s round.
