Alcohol Ban Enforced By FIFA At All World Cup Stadiums In Qatar

The 2022 World Cup is just around the corner although there were changes that soccer fans will likely dislike.

According to a report from BBC.com, alcohol will not be sold at the eight Qatar stadiums where the World Cup will be staged. This was announced two days before the start of the tournament.

This comes not long after it was announced that the sale of alcohol would be allowed but only at select stadiums. However, the sale will be controlled by the Muslim community before the new policy changes were revealed.

Corporate areas of the stadiums at the tournament will however still be able to purchase alcohol, the outlet added.

"Following discussions between host country authorities and Fifa, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the Fifa fan festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar's Fifa World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters," a statement from world football's governing body read.

Budweiser is a major sponsor of Fifa and holds the exclusive rights to sell beer at the World Cup. The company is owned by AB InBev.

"Host country authorities and Fifa will continue to ensure that the stadiums and surrounding areas provide an enjoyable, respectful and pleasant experience for all fans,” the official statement from Fifa stated. "The tournament organizers appreciate AB InBev's understanding and continuous support to our joint commitment to cater for everyone during the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022."

The decision was met with criticism, particularly the timing. The Football Supporters Association (FSA) criticized the timing of the decision to ban the sale of beer for most fans.

"Some fans like a beer at a game and some don't, but the real issue is the last minute U-turn which speaks to a wider problem - the total lack of communication and clarity from the organising committee towards supporters," a spokesperson from the FSA said.