Fans to be banned from drinking alcohol in stadiums at Saudi World Cup Football fans will be banned from drinking alcohol in stadiums at the 2034 World Cup after last week’s controversial award of the tournament to Saudi Arabia.
Fifa sources said they had learned lessons from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was pressured to accept beer sales in stadiums only for the ruling Al-Thani family to put their foot down and scrap the plan two days before the tournament started.
Only Bud Zero and soft drinks were sold at World Cup stadiums, although beer was made available in one Fifa fan zone, with a pint of Budweiser costing £12.
Fifa has indicated that alcohol sales in stadiums are not on the agenda but with a decade to go the position regarding fan zones and hotels is less clear.
Saudi Arabia is a far more conservative country than Qatar, where the capital city, Doha, contains several pubs and alcohol sales are permitted in upmarket hotels.
