On December 18, 2022, two days before the opening of the World Cup, FIFA (International Football Federation) surprised many tourists who went to Qatar by announcing that the sale of beer would not be allowed inside the World Cup stadiums and in its surroundings.
The decision taken on the eve of the tournament caused losses to Budweiser, one of the tournament’s main sponsors, which was forced to recall alcohol products, which would be sold in the arenas three hours before and one hour after each game.
The beer manufacturer paid US$75 million (R$405 million, at the time) to sponsor the event. Foreign fans who traveled to Qatar were disappointed with the ban on beer, an issue that had worried FIFA since the announcement of the Middle Eastern country as host of the World Cup.
The experience is seen by the entity as a lesson and will be debated again in the coming years with the choice of Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 World Cup, making the kingdom the second Islamic nation to host the biggest football event.
The country, considered more restrictive than Qatar, is governed by Islamic laws, which prohibit the consumption of alcohol. Under the current Saudi constitution, penalties for violating the rule could include fines, imprisonment or deportation for expatriates. This type of consumption was banned in the country by King Ibn Saud in 1952.
A rare concession was announced in 2024, when the government indicated the opening of a store in the capital Riyadh to sell alcohol to a restricted public, made up of diplomatic officials. The intention was to “combat the illicit trade in alcoholic products and goods received by diplomatic missions”, reported the CIC (Center for International Communication).
But that doesn’t mean the 2034 World Cup will also have special permission. Questioned by SheetFIFA and the Saudi government did not comment on the issue, but, according to the English newspaper The Guardian, there will be no sale of alcoholic beverages in the stadiums and their surroundings during the mega event.
With almost a decade until the World Cup takes place, the issue can still be reviewed, especially when the current contract between football’s highest entity and AB InBev, owner of the Budweiser brand, ends in 2026. The company wants to have more clarity about the scenario to 2034 before discussing a renewal.
However, recent statements by Saudi Arabia’s sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, indicate that the country should not give in to external pressure. In an interview with Sky News, he stated that it would be Islamophobic to force Saudi Arabia to change its restrictions.
“If you are against this, you should not take advantage of its coming [a Arábia Saudita]. If you can’t respect this rule, then don’t come. It’s that simple,” declared the minister.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has started to invest millions of dollars in hosting sporting events, such as F1 races, important tennis circuit events, boxing matches and even European championship decisions, such as the Spanish Super Cup and the Italian Super Cup. None of them allow the sale and consumption of alcohol. In F1, for example, instead of the traditional champagne, drivers celebrate their victories on the podium with rose water.
Entities that defend human rights, such as the organization Human Rights Watch, accuse the country of using sport to try to rebuild its reputation, the so-called “sportswashing”, used by governments, especially autocrats, to change its image in the international community.
Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the World Cup is part of the Vision 2030 program, which aims to promote a “transformative economic and social reform project” to open the country to the world. The main objective, however, is to diversify the economy, currently based on oil and gas production.
Anthropologist Francirosy Campos Barbosa, who completed a post-doctorate in Islamic theology at the University of Oxford, states that, even with this project, Saudi Arabia should not change its position in relation to alcohol consumption.
“In addition to the religious and ethical issues present in the Quran and Hadiths, the prohibition of alcohol consumption in Islam also reflects social values that seek to prevent conflicts, crimes and inequalities that are often aggravated by its use”, says the anthropologist.
The researcher, however, believes that what she called “westernized pockets” could be created, where an exception could exist.
“If Saudi Arabia is allowing itself to hold a World Cup and FIFA is accepting and already has the experience of Qatar, we have to look at both sides. There will certainly be some concessions”, he states.
In 2014, when holding the World Cup in Brazil, FIFA imposed itself, bypassing state laws such as São Paulo, which prohibits the sale of alcohol in sports arenas as a measure to reduce violence in football.
Eight years later, in 2022, it was football’s highest governing body that had to give in to pressure from the Qatari government and accept the ban on beer. Therefore, it will not be a surprise if the entity suffers another defeat in an arm wrestling match against Saudi Arabia.
