Saudi Arabia Confirms 2034 World Cup Will Be Alcohol-Free

Saudi Arabia has formally confirmed that alcohol might be fully banned throughout the 2034 FIFA World Cup, with no exceptions—even in accommodations.

Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud, the nation’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, made it clear that Saudi Arabia will preserve its strict alcohol insurance policies all through the event.

Saudi Arabia Stands Firm on Alcohol Ban

Speaking to LBC by way of a Daily Mail report, Prince Khalid reiterated that the dominion doesn’t permit alcohol, emphasizing that “plenty of fun can be had without alcohol.” He firmly said that followers seeking to devour alcohol must wait till they depart the nation.

Unlike Qatar’s 2022 World Cup, the place alcohol was obtainable in choose fan zones and lodge bars, Saudi Arabia won’t allow alcohol gross sales in any kind.

“No, there is no alcohol at all,” the ambassador confirmed when requested if drinks could be obtainable in accommodations.

“At least they aren’t pretending this time, unlike Qatar who said alcohol would be allowed and then said no, two days before the tournament started,” one Reddit person wrote concerning the Saudi World Cup alcohol ban.

“To be fair, Qatar is a lot more lax with alcohol than Saudi. In Qatar you can buy it in licensed places whereas in Saudi it’s an outright blanket ban,” one other Redditor stated.

Respecting Cultural Boundaries

Prince Khalid stated that Saudi Arabia will accommodate guests inside the boundaries of its personal tradition.

“Everyone has their own culture. We’re happy to accommodate people within the boundaries of our culture, but we don’t want to change our culture for someone else,” he stated.

By now, you need to know that the nation is strict in its implementation the place alcohol consumption and gross sales are strictly prohibited.

Concerns Over Human Rights and Sportswashing

Beyond the alcohol ban, Saudi Arabia’s human rights file has additionally drawn world scrutiny. Organizations like Amnesty International have raised considerations about potential human rights violations associated to the World Cup.

According to BBC, points such because the nation’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights have been extensively debated. Same-sex relations stay unlawful in Saudi Arabia, and being transgender shouldn’t be acknowledged.

However, Prince Khalid assured that every one followers could be welcomed to the event. He stated that it is not all about Saudi and everyone seems to be welcome to look at the world occasion.

Comparison to Qatar’s 2022 World Cup

The controversy surrounding alcohol restrictions shouldn’t be new. During Qatar’s 2022 World Cup, an preliminary resolution to promote beer in stadiums was overturned simply two days earlier than the event started. However, alcohol was nonetheless obtainable in designated fan zones and lodge bars.

Saudi Arabia, then again, is taking a a lot stricter strategy, confirming that no alcohol might be obtainable anyplace throughout the 2034 occasion.

The 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia is already producing headlines with its alcohol ban and cultural restrictions. For booze lovers, this may not be the right sports activities occasion to hold your beer and wines, nevertheless it will not harm a soul if you happen to do it elsewhere.