How did they miss this one?

I wouldn't set foot in that piece a shit country even if the beer was legal and free.

I read this headline as well. I find it completely bizarre that the contractual agreements are being forcefully modified two days before the start. Although I respect the ability of a state to call shots on what they do or don't want...this all was clearly laid out before agreements/contracts were signed.

Although I don't have the same level of disdain as "misterorange", I would not be interested in doing business with the deciding party again.

It’s an absolute disgrace that they were awarded the Finals. An even bigger disgrace that England have not held them since 1966.

Can't drink beer at the stadium (except Bud Zero), can't drink in public (except designated fan zones), can't carry alcohol in public, can't eat pork, must dress conservatively, swearing in public is illegal, and most importantly sex between unmarried people is illegal...sounds like a really fun time.

AB isn't sponsoring the World Cup because they care about beer sales at a single event. Most of that profit would have gone to the local distributor and vendors anyway. They're sponsoring it to have their name touted as an official sponsor of the World Cup and to have their signage visible to countless millions around the World who tune into the games.

" sex between unmarried people is illegal " ??? WTF ? What do they do in their harems ?

They're all married like they have about 27 wives apiece , could you imagine having that many women in each house, you'd never get into the bathroom.

Shoulda had the World Cup in Thailand --- sending 30 girls to your opponents' hotel night before a big match for some suckey-fuckey is a good strategy to WIN

The 2026 Cup will be co-hosted by US, Canada, and Mexico. Plenty of opportunity for debauchery then.

They are still selling beer at the stadium in the hours leading up to the game and after it ends, just not during the game. It was the same way when I was at a match in France just before Covid hit. When I asked someone at the stadium they said it was because the fans got too unruly if they were allowed to drink throughout the game.

There are a ton of reasons (oppressive religious laws, human rights violations, lack of safety for workers, etc) why one of the largest sporting events in the world should have never been awarded to Qatar but not selling beer during the matches isn't even in the top 10 reasons. I'm sure Anheuser-Busch cares alot more about the tens of millions of people that see them as the sponsor during the television broadcast than they do about selling to the tens of thousands of people in the stadiums during the matches. Considering a fair number of those at the matches will be from Qatar and the rest of the middle east chances are beer sales wouldn't have been as high as if it were in Germany or England anyways.

Anheuser Busch has a long relationship with Qatar. They control much of the drink distribution for non hard liquors. Qatar's deal is you keep it inside the specifically licensed western hotels.

AB knows this. They've been there at least a decade. If you are a legal foreign resident of Qatar you can apply for a license to shop at state monitored alcohol and pork shop. Based on your reported income you will be allowed a specific quantity per month which you can keep in your home. The more highly paid you are tye larger the amount.

Qatar wants foreign investment and for foreign diplomats to view it as the Switzerland of the middle east. So they make plenty of exceptions. All you have to do is keep it behind closed doors.