The sale of alcoholic beverages around the stadiums and in some gatherings of fans will only be allowed during limited time slots during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where alcohol consumption is strictly regulated, according to multiple sources.
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The terms are still being discussed, sources linked to the organization of the event told AFP.
But it should not be possible to buy beer inside stadiums. It should only be allowed around sports arenas, before and after games.
The FIFA website also promises “beers, champagnes, wines and spirits” in VIP areas.
Fans should be able to purchase beer at outdoor gatherings of FIFA supporters during limited time slots. These are to be built in Al Bidda Park, in the center of the capital Doha, and will offer space for around 40,000 people.
The other entertainment areas planned for the estimated 1.2 million visitors will not all serve alcohol, according to a June 2 document from Qatar’s Supreme Organizing Committee seen by AFP.
Alcoholic beverages would be served at the Doha Golf Club with a capacity of 15,000-20,000 but quite remotely, in an area near the InterContinental Beach & Spa hotel with a capacity of 10,000 or at a beach in the West Bay area.
The sale of alcohol will only be allowed between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., multiple sources claimed, without giving details on the fan zones. FIFA and the Supreme Organizing Committee of the World Cup, which promised announcements “in good time”, had not immediately commented.
Earlier this year, a source close to the organization told AFP that the price of beer at outdoor gatherings of supporters would be around 6 euros ($8) (compared to the 12 ($16) average in hotels). It has not been made official.
Upon request, FIFA and the Supreme Committee did not immediately comment.
Access to alcoholic beverages during the Mondial-2022 from November 21 to December 18 has been questioned since the tournament was awarded to Qatar, a conservative Muslim country, in 2010.
The consumption of alcohol in public places is prohibited. Visitors are not allowed to bring it into the country, they only have access to it in certain hotel bars and restaurants.
Non-Muslim expatriates can buy them in a special shop that requires a special permit.
Alcohol regulations in football stadiums vary from country to country. During the 2014 World Cup, Brazil lifted the ban on consumption in its enclosures at the request of FIFA.