Beer could be sold at Qatar stadiums as Brits support England during World Cup 2022

World Cup bosses are hoping to persuade Qatari officials to let football fans have a beerduring matches.

Booze is strictly forbidden in stadiums in the Gulf state – where alcohol is allowed, but being drunk in public is a crime.

Brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev NV – which makes beers such as Budweiser and Corona – is a major FIFA sponsor and wants its products to be available at the tournament in November.

So far Qatar’s Supreme Committee on Delivery and Legacy has promised alcohol will only be available in “fan zones”.

But FIFA is trying to persuade the committee to allow Bud Light, which has an alcohol content of 3.5%, or another low-alcohol beer to be sold inside stadiums.

England fans – along with Scotland and Wales fans, if they qualify – will be delighted if there is a last-minute change of heart so they can watch matches with a beer in hand. It will also be something of a novelty as alcohol is not allowed inside UK stadiums, only in the concourses outside.

Original article published 06.02.2022 on the Mirror website