FIFA and Qatar Design Beer Policy For 2022 World Cup Football Fans
Football fans who will be making their way to Qatar for the upcoming mega football event – the FIFA world cup, can now enjoy Beer during their stay in the country, but with conditions. Only eleven weeks now remain before the kickstart of the ultimate football event, and the host Qatar and the world football association FIFA have reached an agreement regarding the beer policy during WorldCup.
Qatar Finalizes Policy Of Beer Sales At FIFA World Cup 2022
As the policy dictates, alcoholic beverages will be available before and after the match on stadium grounds. Moreover, fans can also enjoy a chilled beer after 6:30 pm local time at the fan festival held in Doha.
As per the reports, the world cup organizing body, FIFA, released a statement saying, “FIFA has been working on conditions “for local and international fans,” including hospitality for those “who want to enjoy an alcoholic beverage while respecting local culture.”
With Qatar allowing alcoholic beverages FIFA will be particularly relieved. It’s because Budwiser, a multinational alcoholic beverages manufacturer, has been a major sponsor of the international federation since 1986.
It took months of delicate discussion between the Qatar World Cup Organizing Committee and FIFA to agree on the beer policy.
What Does The Beer Policy Include
The agreed-upon beer policy allows beer Kisko to run just before and after the match; however, the sale of the alcohol will remain heavily regulated. Moreover, fans are still not allowed to drink Beer inside the stadium or during the match.
A statement from FIFA officials: “Inside the stadium, ticket holders will have access to non-alcoholic Budweiser Zero. At the FIFA Fan Festival, Budweiser will be available for purchase from 6:30 pm.”
“Ticket holders will have access to alcohol on the stadium perimeter before kickoff and following the final whistle,” according to the source.
One source who is adept with the matter clarifies that the beer kiosk will be allowed to open around the stadium, particularly the gates, thirty minutes before the start of the game. Similarly, the kiosk will again open for a short time after the end of the game.
On top of that, fans can enjoy Beer after 6:30 pm local time at the FIFA fan zone in Doha, also known as the entertainment zone for fans; however, the situation is not clear for the five other fan zones to be organized and managed by Qatari authorities.
Besides, inside the stadium, only non-alcoholic beverages from Budweiser will be available for sale. Interestingly Coca Cola, another sponsor for the FIFA event, hold the exclusive right to sell non-alcoholic drinks inside eight stadiums that will host the World Cup match first time happening in a Muslim country.
Why Does the FIFA World Cup In Qatar Need a Beer Policy?
Qatar is a gulf country with a predominantly Muslim population. As such, Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol. Therefore the country has a strict policy for the sale of alcoholic beverages. However, unlike neighboring Saudi Arabia, Alcohol is not entirely banned in Qatar.
The sale of alcoholic beverages is allowed in some restaurants in limited quantities. Moreover, foreigners can purchase alcohol only if they are above 21 and have a permit. These stringent policies posed a concern for FIFA.
One of its primary sponsors that have been pouring money for decades across various FIFA events is Budwiser – a renowned alcoholic beverage manufacturer.
FIFA has to work hard to save its sponsor’s interest and therefore needed a beer policy during yeh FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Discussions About Serving Alcohol During FIFA Event Is Not New
Although FIFA went through several discussions and negotiations to reach an agreement that is a win-win for all the parties involved, beer discussion is nothing new to FIFA events. Back in 2014, too before the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Alcohol usage became an issue.
Brazil overturned its rule of a general ban on the usage of alcohol inside the stadium during tournaments. At the time, local lawmakers passed a bill that exempted the event from the prohibition of selling Alcoholic beverages inside the stadiums.
For the first time in history, the world cup event will be organized in winter, not in summer, as a tradition. Even then, fans from the 32 world cup participant countries will have to bear temperatures ranging from 25 to 29 degrees Celsius. Per FIFA, ticket sales have been successful, and around 2.45 million tickets were sold during August.
Now with the beer policy in place, fans can enjoy Beer and tackle the heat of this gulf country.
