Just two days before the World Cup begins, the Qatari royal family is demanding a complete ban on the sale of alcohol at all World Cup venues.
The host country has asked FIFA to prevent the sale of beer at the eight World Cup stadiums. Normally, alcohol sales are restricted to foreign visitors who consume it in hotels and restaurants with licences or non-Muslim locals who possess special permissions and consume it at home.
If the restriction is implemented, Budweiser, one of the tournament’s major sponsors, won’t be able to sell alcohol to spectators at the games, and Fifa risked breaching a significant deal with the firm.
Budweiser and Fifa are reportedly still in talks on the matter, but according to The Times, the Qatari royal family’s intervention has made the removal of Budweiser sales from competition more likely.
Both have been contacted by MailOnline for comment, but as of the time of publication, no answer had been received.
According to the New York Times, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the ruler of Qatar, gave this order.
