Strengthen the beer buying and selling business Qatar World Cup 2022 lamented by many football fans. It is known that FIFA has issued a ban regulation sale of beer in and out of the stadium three hours before and one hour after the match.
As known, this decision modifies the previous rules, i.e. the sale of beer outside the stadium is still permitted during matches.
The disappointment of spectators at the stadium, one of which emerged from the stands of Ecuador fans, as the pride of the national team beat hosts Qatar early morning WIT on Monday (21/11).
“Queremos cerveza, queremos cerveza!” which means ‘We want beer, we want beer!’. Even the sponsor of the 2022 World Cup, Budweiser, is only allowed to sell Bud Zero soft drinks during matches.
Rare and expensive
The restriction on beer consumption coupled with outlets regulated by the local government has made numerous cafes and bars serving alcohol in Qatar standout crowds in the hustle and bustle of the World Cup.
One of them irish pub in Doha. Ronnie Griffin, the owner, enthusiastically welcomes his guests who arrive with disappointed faces because they have difficulty obtaining alcohol.
“Thanks for coming,” shouted Ronnie, quoted by the report CBC News, in Doha, Sunday (11/20).
The Irish Pub is tucked away on the 14th floor of the Best Western Plus Hotel. At the end of a dark alley, turning one way, is the Krossroads Club, with live music and colored lights.
At Ronnie’s club, a pint of Guinness (equivalent to 430ml) sells for 60 Qatari riyals or the equivalent of IDR 260 thousand. This is considered quite far from the price of beer sold in several centers in Europe, in the price range of 60-85k per small bottle.
Ronnie, originally from Cork, admits he gave his best in Qatar. The cost, he said, hadn’t deterred anyone from buying beer.
“When thirsty people find cold drinks in Doha, they will pay any price,” he said.
Media times has released price estimates for limited-run beer during the 2022 World Cup.
Half a liter of Budweiser reportedly costs 50 Qatari riyals or USD 13.7 (equivalent to Rp. 219 thousand), while the non-alcoholic version costs 30 riyals or USD 8.24 or equivalent to Rp. 130 thousand.
Entertainment site Betting.com analyzed the average cost of beer across all 32 World Cup qualifying nations, with Qatar leading the way, almost double the cost of Denmark in second place which sells high-priced beer.
Pressure from the Qatari government
As previously reported, the beer ban announcement was officially issued two days before kickoff for the 2022 World Cup in a Muslim country with strict alcohol regulations.
The local government was pressured by the Qatari royal family to ban all alcohol sales despite being a sponsor of the tournament.
Budweiser himself is known to have paid more than £60 million over four years to become a major sponsor of FIFA. This policy change had provoked a cynical response.
A tweet from the official Budweiser account on Friday (11/18) morning, which was later deleted, uploaded “Wow, this is annoying…”
A fan responded to the post, saying: “I can’t watch England play when I’m sober next Monday” – to which Budweiser’s response: “No, we’ll join you.”
(have/have)
