World Cup organisers have reportedly been forced to hide Budweiser-branded beer tents amid claims it could upset locals.
A report in the New York Times says the decision to relocate the beer stations near each of the tournament's eight stadiums goes all the way up to the country's royal family.
It's claimed there are concerns that such a prominent presence of alcohol during the month-long World Cup could unsettle the local population, thus creating a potential security risk.
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Alcohol isn't completely banned in Qatar, but most visitors are only able to buy a drink at bars in designated hotels. That clearly created a problem for FIFA, which has held a long working relationship with Budweiser.
Organisers had subsequently taken the decision to sell beer at special stands within a security perimeter outside venues, but not inside the stadiums themselves.
However, it seems the tents will now be moved ahead of the tournament's opening ceremony on Sunday.
It's not yet clear where the tents will be moved to, but the news will nevertheless prompt questions over the commercial relationship between Budweiser and FIFA.
Budweiser is believed to pay around $75m to sponsor the World Cup, a deal that comes with certain obligations and responsibilities in regards to promotional space, and making their name less prominent at this month's showpiece may well give organisers a contractual headache.
However, while confirming the changes, organisers have insisted they won't have an impact on the sale of beer at the tournament.
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In a statement, a spokesperson for the Supreme Committee, which is tasked with organising the tournament, told WalesOnline: "With six days to go until the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 kicks off, operational plans are being finalised as we prepare to host the world.
"These plans include venue management teams enhancing overlay requirements for all competition venues. This has a direct impact on the location of certain fan areas.
"Pouring times and number of pouring destinations remains the same across all eight World Cup stadiums."
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