A significant blow to World Cup beer sponsor Budweiser
Doha, Qatar: In what is being viewed as a significant blow to World Cup beer sponsor Budweiser Qatar has banned the sale of beer at World Cup stadiums on Friday, Novembber 18, just two days before the opening game, an AP report in The Tribune, Chandigarh, says.
This is clearly seen as a sudden U-turn on the deal it made to secure the soccer tournament. When Qatar launched its bid to host the tournament, the country agreed to FIFA’s requirements of selling alcohol in stadiums
The move also reflects the latest sign of the underlying tension of hosting the event, a significant blow that raises questions about how much control FIFA retains over its tournament.
It must be remembered that the World Cup is not just a sports tournament but also a month-long party, but this time in the conservative Muslim emirate where the sale of alcohol is heavily restricted.
Friday’s statement from FIFA said non-alcoholic beer will still be sold at the eight stadiums, while champagne, wine, whiskey and other alcohol will still be served in the luxury hospitality areas of the arenas.
.However, the vast majority of ticket holders don’t have access to those areas — though they will be able to drink alcoholic beer in the evenings in what is known as the FIFA Fan Festival, a designated party area that also offers live music and activities.
Budweiser’s Twitter account had tweeted: “Well, this is awkward…” The tweet was later deleted.
“Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to confine the sale of alcoholic beverages only to the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from … stadium perimeters,” FIFA said in a statement.
Friday’s backtrack was not Qatar’s first — but it was the most significant. Last weekend, AB InBev was left surprised by a new policy insisted on by Qatari organisers to move beer stalls to less visible locations within the stadium compounds
Outside of the tournament-run areas, Qatar imposes strict limits on the purchase and consumption of alcohol, though its sale has been permitted in hotel bars for years.
Ab InBev, the parent company of Budweiser, acknowledged in a statement that some of its plans “cannot move forward due to circumstances beyond our control.”
The company pays tens of millions of dollars at each World Cup for exclusive rights to sell beer and has already shipped the majority of its stock from Britain to Qatar in expectation of selling its product to millions of fans.
“Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to confine the sale of alcoholic beverages only to the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from … stadium perimeters,” FIFA said in a statement.
The company’s partnership with FIFA started at the 1986 tournament, and they are in negotiations for renewing their deal for the next World Cup in North America.
Ronan Evain, the executive director of the fan group Football Supporters Europe, called the decision to ban beer sales at the stadiums in Qatar “extremely worrying.” Evain wrote on Twitter.
“But with 48 (hours) to go, we’ve clearly entered a dangerous territory — where assurances’ don’t matter anymore.”
Qatar, which is governed by a hereditary emir who has absolute say over all governmental decisions, follows an ultraconservative form of Islam known as Wahhabism like neighboring Saudi Arabia.
In recent years, Qatar has transformed into an ultra-modern hub following a natural gas boom in the 1990s, but it has faced pressure from within to stay true to its Islamic heritage and Bedouin roots. Islam forbids the consumption of alcohol.
Qatar’s government and its Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
.At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the host country was forced to change a law to allow alcohol sales in stadiums — but the same cultural issues were not at play.
AB InBev’s deal with FIFA was renewed in 2011 — after Qatar was picked as host. However, the Belgium-based brewer has faced uncertainty in recent months on the exact details of where it can serve and sell beer in Qatar. And some have balked at the price, which was confirmed at $14 for a beer.
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