Qatar banned beer sales in stadiums where soccer matches are being played two days prior to the World Cup opener.
The decision was a reversal on the agreement that the conservative Muslim country had made to host the tournament. It was also a blow to sponsor AB InBev. This brewing giant owns Budweiser and pays around $75 million to sponsor this hugely popular tournament. Their relationship dates back to 1986. According to reports, they are still in negotiations to renew their agreement for next year’s World Cup in North America. The Associated Press.
Bud Zero, a non-alcoholic beer, will be sold in the eight stadiums. FIFA, soccer’s governing body, said in a statementAdded “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.”
The luxury hospitality areas will serve champagne, wine, whiskey, and other alcohol, although most ticket holders won’t be able to access them, according to the AP.
Budweiser’s Twitter account posted: “Well, this is awkward…”The tweet was deleted shortly after the announcement, according to the AP.
Last-minute flipflop “after a sudden demand”That The New York Times reported “had come from inside the country’s royal family.”
Budweiser told the Times it only learned of the new plan on Saturday, eight days before the tournament’s first game. The company stated that it is. “working with FIFA to relocate the concession outlets to locations as directed,”However, the company declined to reveal if it was receiving the rights it was entitled under its contracts. They stated only that “our focus is on delivering the best possible consumer experience under the new circumstances.”
It seemed that the decision was a reflection of concern about the “prominent presence of alcohol at stadiums”Could “unsettle the local population”According to the Times, this would create a potential security issue.
It also revealed the difficulties Qatar faces in trying to balance the demands from FIFA and global soccer fans with concerns over a clash of cultures in the conservative Muslim nation, according to the Times.
Qatar is not prohibited from selling alcohol, like it is in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, but it is allowed to be sold at designated bars in hotels.
“Qatari officials had struggled for years to devise a plan for the World Cup, where beer has flowed freely for generations, before finally deciding that the sale of alcoholic beverages would be permitted within a security perimeter outside venues but not inside the stadium bowls themselves,”The Times reported.
Since Qatar won the right for the tournament to be held in 2010, this decision has been a major issue in the relations between FIFA and Budweiser. The dispute went beyond the sales point. It also involved logistics issues, such as getting supplies to the country.
