Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you confused over the stories about the beer sales over in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup and what the policies are? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
That’s right, the 2022 World Cup is set to begin officially this weekend, but if you’re attending or following from afar, you’ve heard about the controversy over beer sales and where they’re allowed and not allowed … and what it could mean about other aspects of the FIFA event.
Let’s start with beer sales and how all that changed:
Let's just get right to it: Can I buy beer at the World Cup?
Sort of!
But the bad news: … Not at the stadiums.
Wait, why not?
Here’s the statement from FIFA:
“Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, 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.
There is no impact to the sale of Bud Zero which will remain available at all Qatar’s World Cup stadiums.
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.
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™️.”
Isn't Bud Zero alcohol-free?
Yep.
oh good thing they're still selling Bud Zero, that's the same https://t.co/tHkfLghrbW
— Jeremy Layton (@JeremyLayt0n) November 18, 2022
Was this policy the case until recently?
Nope. Back in September, per the Associated Press, organizers set the policies that alcoholic beer could be bought “within the eight stadium compounds – though not at concourse concession stands – before and after games, and during evenings only at the official ‘Fan Festival.'”
That has changed. Significantly.
As USA TODAY’s Nancy Armour noted:
While alcohol isn’t illegal in Qatar, drinking in public is not allowed and it is a crime to be drunk in public. But Qatar assured FIFA officials when it was bidding for the World Cup that it would not impose local customs on the tournament and also promised to respect FIFA’s deals with sponsors.
So much for that.
How does the beer sponsor feel about it?
I can’t imagine AB InBev — the makers of Budweiser — will be happy given that FIFA’s sponsorship agreement is for $75 million, per the New York Times.
reminder that AB InBev pays $75M for this sponsorship 🤯 https://t.co/5dplWMEVMS
— john bray (@itsjohnbray) November 18, 2022
The Times also reported this:
[Budwesier’s] only public statement was a wry one from its Twitter account, which wrote, “Well, this is awkward….’ The tweet was deleted about 90 minutes later, and just before FIFA’s statement was released.
Should this worry us about other aspects about the World Cup?
I’d say so. It seems clear from a decision like this that FIFA could get overruled by the host country. Again, from the New York Times:
It also suggested that FIFA, which has faced years of blistering criticism for its decision to bring its showpiece championship to Qatar, may no longer be in full control of major decisions related to its event. A decade ago, for example, the soccer body pressured Brazil for just the opposite outcome: leaning on the Brazilian government to change a law in order to allow beer to be sold in stadiums, a practice that had been banned in Brazil since 2003.
In Qatar, FIFA has instead bowed to the demands of the host country. That raised the possibility that other promises that run counter to local laws and customs — including issues like press freedom, street protests and the rights of LGBTQ+ visitors — were not as rock-solid as Qatar and FIFA have said.
