The countdown to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is now 73 days.
Although it’s more than two months away, country officials have taken precautions regarding alcohol consumption in the country.
“Fans going to the 2022 World Cup will not be able to bring alcohol for personal consumption into Qatar, with the head of the country’s safety and security committee saying ‘specific measures’ are in place to act act against anyone attempting to smuggle alcohol into their luggage,” Reporting by ESPN’s Mark Ogden. “Although alcohol is strictly restricted in Qatar – drinking in public can lead to fines of up to 3,000 riyals (£720) or prison sentences of up to six months – it can be purchased in hotels and The tournament’s supreme committee has agreed to make beer – supplied by World Cup sponsor Budweiser – available at stadiums and in fan zones during the World Cup. , starting on November 20th.”
Ogden wrote about how “high consumption” of alcohol during the early stages of the 2018 World Cup in Russia led to some bars in Moscow running out of beer. As reported by Ogden, Qatari authorities have said that alcohol availability will be limited to designated areas and that fans will not be allowed to bring alcoholic beverages outside.
“There are specific measures,” Colonel Jassim Abdulrahim Al Sayed of the safety and security operations committee told ESPN at a news conference in Doha. “I don’t think alcohol will be allowed through airports and suitcases. … There are alcohol sales locations across the country.”
There will be a fan festival at the alcoholic-only tournament after 6:30 p.m., although some matches will start earlier in the day.
Qatar 2022 CEO Nasser Al Khater said: “There is a misconception about the sale of alcohol in stadiums and designated areas. “We are working like any other World Cup, as usual. … Quite simply, we have always stated that alcohol sales are available in Qatar and will deliver in specific regions. The fan festival will be open from 6:30pm, but it will attract a lot of families and children and we wanted to give them a chance to stay in the alcohol-free zone for some time. certain points of the day. Then the fans will have alcohol available.”
