Visitors to the main fan zone of the World Cup in Qatar will have to pay 50 Qatari riyals (about 14 euros) for half a liter of beer, reports Reuters, despite the promise of the organizers to set a modest price for this drink.
The tournament’s main sponsor, Budweiser, has exclusive rights to sell beer at the final and will serve its wares at the 40,000-capacity FIFA Fan Fest in central Doha’s Al Bidda Park. In addition, it will offer the barley drink within the perimeter surrounding each stadium, where the cost is yet to be confirmed.
It is the first time that the World Cup, which begins this weekend, has been held in a Muslim country with controls on alcohol consumption. In Qatar it is not allowed to drink it in public spaces, and in the few hotel bars where it is offered it costs much more than in other countries: a glass of wine or a beer can cost between 13 and 17 euros.
Competition organizers began negotiating the price of alcohol with world soccer governing body FIFA in at least 2019, when they said they wanted alcoholic beverages to be “accessible” to fans.
At the FIFA Club World Cup held in Qatar that year, half a liter of beer cost around 6.20 euros, a price well removed from what will be offered in some areas of the tournament starting this Sunday.
Non-alcoholic beer will be more accessible, says The Guardian, although not much more, because it will cost almost 8 euros. For water, on the other hand, you will pay around 2.50 euros.
Another of the restrictions that will affect beer consumption at the World Cup, Budweiser reports to the British newspaper, is that only those over 21 years of age can purchase it, and it will not be allowed to exceed a consumption of four glasses per person.
