BREAKING: Qatar announces it will only allow the selling of non-alcoholic beverages at World Cup stadiums.— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) November 18, 2022 🚨🎖️| Benzema is a doubt for France’s opening game vs. Australia. He’s not 100%. @RMCsport— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) November 18, 2022
Budweiser a FIFA sponsor for over 30 years which pays the organization more than $100M per World Cup cycle won’t be allowed to serve you beer in or around the stadiums here in Qatar. They’ve just learned of this .. 48 hours before opening kick of the tournament. 🫠— herculez gomez (@herculezg) November 18, 2022 Everything is fine /sarcasm
To be fair, Budweiser pay a lot to serve their beer in stadium and around the fan zones. To be told 48 hours before that it won’t happen in stadiums is a pretty shifty move. I think Qatar had all the intentions to limit as much alcohol as possible and left it to the last minute to make those changes to avoid any problems. This whole World Cup has been a complete fraud.
If you don't see what is wrong with telling a major sponsor they can't sell their product which they projected earnings for during the biggest event.... only 48 hours before the events launch? Then you're either a child or brutally uneducated and ignorant.
Man, Qatar is such a backward-ass shithole. They’re lucky they have so much oil, literally stuck in the 10th century otherwise.
Budweiser holds an exclusivity deal and stifled local breweries with lawsuits should they serve their beer and and around stadiums in Germany. I am very VERY much enjoying this. Schadenfreude lv 99.
Oh no, no alcohol, how are we ever going to survive our mundane existence without drugging ourselves every day to endure it?
However, those in corporate seats are still allowed to be served and drink alcohol in the stadium. It doesn’t make sense. It all heightens how the super rich can do what they please.
For Fans from a lot of counties including England, US and others drinking is a big part of their match day ritual. Especially when they travel to watch their team. We’ve seen this many times in CL games. From what I understand they will sell beer in fan zones only. I don’t know how many fan zones there are in the city but having been to other world cups I’ve seen it’s usually 2 big ones for big cities. Doha isn’t even a big city let alone the other ones. I don’t know how that’s going to accommodate a lot of people and their need to drink. Whether we ourselves drink or don’t, we know majority of football fans do. It was announced months ago that beer will be sold at the stadiums, I don’t give a damn about Budweiser or Stella Artois but fans bought tickets and hotels knowing this and to change it up at the last moment when the fans are already there and have already spent their money is just incredibly dubious. Having visited 3 different countries in the Middle East I can tell you that there are other ways to get alcohol and I am sure there will be plenty of people on the ground who will be there to provide it for a price seeing bow big of a business opportunity it is. Hard liquor included. My concern is that a lot of people visiting from Europe, US and other countries do not know how draconian and extremely rude the police is in these Middle East countries. These are nations where only native Arabs are given government and police jobs (immigrants aren’t allowed and just kept in service jobs mostly). Pardon me for being Frank but from what I’ve seen myself they cut you more slack if you are white but if you are brown or black pray that you never have to deal with the authorities there. They only see them as janitorial services level people. These fans are in for a big surprise when/if they are deemed to be “drunk” by these “cops” or cultural values protection force or whatever names they give these policing agencies. I’m concerned that there will be incidents where visiting fans will not like how they are being talked to or treated and will talk back and they will be beaten with sticks and batons which is absolutely normal reaction by the authorities there. That’s going to make the news everywhere. I just hope we avoid these issues and nobody gets hurt but I don’t see how it can be avoided. People are gonna drink and the locals aren’t just gonna change their behavior overnight.
I've been at a champions league match and the corporate box had two blondes dressed in bunny swimsuits and rabbit ears serving drinks and taking pictures with the guests. The "service" was sponsored by playboy magazine. I can assure you that I'm not allowed to hit the place with two strippers feeding me grapes in the regular seats.
There's travel guides for a reason. I can't use most gyms or public baths in Japan and other regions in Asia. It is what it is.
Even within Europe it's vastly different from one country to another. Spanish police is know to be extremely quick to hit, basically pulling out the batons as soon as you make a funny face towards them. Most trouble makers can't even afford the trip to this world cup anyway.
Those friendlies aren't supposed to be competitive. Just to get guys in the groove, acclimated and so on.
England players almost completely collapsing at practice is what has me more worried than anything. Doesn't look too healthy.
Valid concerns Shay, I really WC2026 isn't played in LA or NY then or we would have massacres by the police.