FIFA Bans Alcohol Sales Inside Stadiums 48 Hours Before Qatar World Cup Begins

Natasha Dye
·3 min read
he Official Emblem of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™️ is unveiled in Doha's Souq Waqif on the Msheireb - Qatar National Archive Museum building on September 03, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™️ Official Emblem was projected on to a number of iconic buildings in Qatar and across the Arab world and displayed on outdoor digital billboards in more than a dozen renowned public spaces major cities.

Christopher Pike/Getty

Two days before the 2022 World Cup begins, Qatar has banned the sale of alcoholic beer in stadiums.

In a statement released by FIFA on Friday, the organization confirmed that "discussions between host country authorities and FIFA" ultimately concluded with the parties agreeing to remove alcoholic beers from stadiums during the tournament.

FIFA, the global governing body of soccer, explained that they will "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."

However, the sale of Bud Zero, a non-alcoholic beer, "will remain available at all Qatar's World Cup stadiums."

RELATED: Everything to Know About the 2022 World Cup and the Controversy Over Host Country Qatar

The statement continued: "Host country authorities and FIFA will continue to ensure that the stadiums and surrounding areas provide an enjoyable, respectful and pleasant experience for all fans."

To conclude, FIFA stated, "The tournament organisers appreciate AB InBev's understanding and continuous support to our joint commitment to cater for everyone during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™️."

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Budweiser's parent company AB InBev said, "As partners of FIFA for over three decades, we look forward to our activations of FIFA World Cup™ campaigns around the world to celebrate football with our consumers. Some of the planned stadium activations cannot move forward due to circumstances beyond our control."

According to Yahoo Sports, the organization and host country had previously attempted to work out a compromise with sponsor Budweiser to restrict the sale of alcoholic beer to the arena's perimeters exclusively, keeping the concourses alcohol-free.

RELATED: David Beckham Calls Qatar World Cup a 'Platform for Progress' amid Criticism Over His Involvement

However, the Qatari government has maintained that alcohol should not be sold at the World Cup stadiums entirely. Per Yahoo, World Cup organizing committee CEO Nasser Al Khater previously stated that "alcohol is not part of our culture."

In Qatar, both the public consumption of alcohol and public intoxication is illegal.

RELATED: Rod Stewart Says He 'Turned Down' $1 Million to Perform in Qatar amid FIFA World Cup Criticism

Yahoo Sports also reported that the Qatari royal family had requested the alcohol ban from government officials shortly before FIFA released the statement on Friday.

Although Qatar's complete ban on alcohol in World Cup stadiums will be a first for the event, fans are seemingly most concerned with the timing of the decision.

RELATED VIDEO: Kate Middleton Roots on England at Rugby League World Cup Quarterfinals Match

The Football Supporters' Association, a fan-dedicated group with a loyal following of the sport's fans, expressed concern over FIFA's relationship with Qatar after the ban was announced on Friday.

In a tweet, the FSA wrote: "Some fans like a beer at the match, and some don't, but the real issue is the last-minute U-turn which speaks to a wider problem — the total lack of communication and clarity from organizing committee towards supporters."

The statement continued to explain how the organization's decision was "at a moment's notice" and "with no explanation."

As a result, the group is concerned that Qatar will go back on "other promises" made to FIFA such as "accommodations, transport or cultural issues."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The 2022 World Cup has received continued backlash around the host country's systemic discrimination against women and the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the reported deaths of 37 migrant workers who were helping to construct the stadiums where the World Cup will be held.

Marking the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup competition, the soccer championship will bring together 32 teams from all over the world, including England, the 2018 winners France, USA, Spain and more.