Alcohol will be banned from stadiums during the 2022 World Cup, FIFA announced on Friday. The last-minute reversal came just two days before the start of the tournament.
The World Cup is the first to be held in a conservative Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol, the consumption of which is banned in public, and the reversal has raised questions among some supporters about the host nation’s ability to keep promises to fans.
The USMNT begin their campaign on Monday against Wales as they try to break out of Group B, which also features old rivals England and Iran.
Some fans have already arrived in Qatar to cheer on the USA in their first World Cup appearance since the 2014 tournament in Brazil. However, many were outraged when they heard the news of the ban on Friday.
Brian Davidson, 45, a delivery driver from California became the first fan to drink official beer at the World Cup in Qatar on Wednesday as alcohol made its debut at the tournament, before the stadium ban came into effect two days later.
Fans attending matches at the World Cup will not be able to purchase alcohol on site, instead they will only be able to purchase it in designated Fan Zones away from stadiums
The fan festival, where pints cost $14 each, is now one of the few places in all of Doha where visiting fans can buy alcohol
Californian delivery driver Brian Davidson (pictured), 45, was the first fan to drink an official World Cup beer in Qatar after being served a pint of Budweiser at exactly 7pm on Wednesday.
After paying $14 and waiting in line for almost two hours, Davidson was served a pint of Budweiser at exactly 7pm on Wednesday in the largest World Cup fan zone in downtown Doha.
Davidson, who headed a queue of almost 500 when the bars opened, told DailyMail.com it was the “best beer he’s ever had” and claimed it made him feel like “Pele or Maradona – a world Creator cup history.’
But his cheerful mood quickly turned sour after hearing of the alcohol ban, saying: “I’m devastated, it doesn’t make sense. What’s wrong with drinking a beer at a game?
“Beer wasn’t going to be sold inside the stadiums anyway, only on the field.
“Millions of people come 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 shame that Qatar have implemented this ban.”
Another American fan was filmed wearing a USMNT shirt, telling talkSPORT the upset was “really upsetting”.
He said: “That’s what I came for mainly, because what sporting event do you go to that doesn’t have beers?
Davidson receives the first beer served at the Qatar 2022 World Cup at the FIFA Fan Festival at Doha’s Al Bidda Park, before stadium sales are banned
“This is a historic World Cup moment and it feels like the best beer I’ve ever had in my life,” Mr Davidson told MailOnline after downing his $14 pint.
Davidson said he was “devastated” after the ban, claiming the move “makes no sense”
“I just heard that [the news] from another person earlier this morning, and is really upset. I can not see it [the Word Cup] it’s fun for me now.
“It’s frustrating because you close all these things like you expect there to be alcohol … but there isn’t.”
Amir Samadov of Denver, Colorado, suggested to USA Today that the move was a ploy to lure fans to the tournament,
“I guess they just made sure everyone came,” he said, “and then at the last minute, they changed their minds.”
Steve Da Cruz, a fan from Mexico, said: “It’s very disappointing because beer and football go hand in hand for us. I know it’s the local culture and we respect all cultures, but a large number of fans who come here can’t imagine going to a football match where they won’t be able to drink a beer.”
😬 “That’s why I came – what kind of sporting event doesn’t have beer?”
😕 “It’s really upsetting. I can’t see the World Cup being fun for me now.”
This USA fan is not happy that no alcoholic beverages will be available at Qatar stadiums 🇶🇦#TSWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ocCC2KScEG
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) November 18, 2022
Budweiser Beer Stand at the Fan Festival ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
FIFA announced the reversal on Friday, meaning the only place to buy one will be in ‘fan zones’ (pictured), hotels and restaurants
However, other fans took the decision in the best light, insisting the tournament was not about drinking alcohol and noting they knew the rules would be different in Qatar.
“We’re not here to drink beer,” said Adel Abou Hana, a fan from the United States. “We’re here to watch world-class football.”
Where CAN fans get a beer as alcohol is banned in the stadiums?
Qatar’s strict interpretation of Islam means alcohol cannot be brought into the country, consumed in public or purchased outside licensed premises. So where can fans get a drink in Qatar? Fan belts Special zones set up for fans to watch matches have been given a special dispensation to sell alcohol – but there are restrictions. Alcohol will only be served at certain times and each person will be limited to four drinks to avoid getting drunk. Anyone who gets drunk can be driven away to sober up. The price of the pint will be around £12. Hotels and restaurants Qatari law allows some licensed hotels and restaurants to sell alcohol to tourists, which will continue throughout the World Cup. However, seats are limited and prices can be extortionate. A “drink deal” at a venue described as “Qatar’s best sports bar” would see people paying up to £80 a pint. Hosting boxes While regular ticket holders will not be able to take alcohol near the pitches, this is not the case for hospitality boxes. Those with enough money to purchase a “private suite” — starting at $22,450 — will have access to soft drinks, beers, champagne, sommelier-selected wines and premium spirits. In Doha’s Souq Waqif market, Ecuador’s Pablo Zambrano, 35, shrugged off news of a beer ban ahead of his country’s opening match against Qatar on Sunday. He lives with his mother who lives here and said the fridge is already stocked with beer, which foreigners can legally buy at select warehouses. “There are things about alcohol and women with dress codes,” Zambrano said, referring to the country’s conservative customs. ‘It is different. But it will be good.’ Steve Mifsud, 39, from Sydney, said: “I’ve heard the beers are very expensive, about AU$13 a pint anyway. “So maybe if there’s pain … it’ll save us a few bucks, but you need beer in football.” The 11th hour decision was apparently prompted by pressure from the Qatari royal family. “Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been taken to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages at the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing beer outlets from the 2022 FIFA World Cup stadium perimeter of Qatar ,” a FIFA spokesperson said in a statement. “There is no impact on the sale of Bud Zero which will remain available at all Qatar World Cup stadiums. “The host country authorities and FIFA will continue to ensure that the stadiums and surrounding areas provide a pleasant, respectful and enjoyable experience for all fans. “The tournament organizers appreciate [Budweiser’s] understanding and continued support in our shared commitment to serve everyone during the World Cup.” Budweiser, a major sponsor of the World Cup, was to sell exclusively alcoholic beer inside the ticketed perimeter around each of the eight stadiums three hours before and one hour after each game. Anheuser-Busch InBev, the brewing giant that owns American Bud and dozens of other beer brands, said it still looks forward to “celebrating football with our consumers” but some sales cannot go ahead due to “conditions beyond out of our control.” The short, succinct statement came hours after a cheeky tweet was posted on Budweiser’s Twitter account saying “well, this is awkward…” before it was deleted. InBev made no mention of possible legal action over its $75 million deal with FIFA, which gives it exclusive rights to sell beer at World Cup matches. Doha could also face legal action, having signed contracts agreeing to “respect FIFA’s sponsors”. Australian fans said sponsors Budweiser should resolve the issue before the tournament starts on Sunday. Budweiser – one of the World Cup’s biggest sponsors – tried to make light of the situation with a now-deleted tweet IT consultant Simon Whiting, 50, from Canberra, said: “You need a cold beer in this heat. I was looking for one when I was here. “They’re hard to find anyway, so I guess there won’t be any point in looking at the matches then.” It is just the latest controversy to plague an already fraught World Cup – the first to be held in a Muslim nation – which has brought soccer’s governing ethos and traditional trappings into conflict with the hosts’ conservative interpretation of Islam. FIFA had already made a concession this week to hosts Qatar regarding the availability of Budweiser at stadiums. Organizers insisted that the Budweiser concession stands were too visible, so FIFA agreed to move them to locations where they would be less visible. Such changes are very unusual so close to the start of a tournament.
