via John Seb Barber/Flickr

Do you enjoy a pint of your favorite brew when enjoying some soccer? Of course you probably do. This is America, dangit! Sports and beer go together like, well, sports and beer. Not so in Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup.

Things may be quite the opposite in Qatar in 2022 when the soccer world comes together for the biggest soccer tournament the sport has to offer. Public consumption of alcohol could be banned at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

 

No beer or alcohol in the stadiums. No beer on the streets. No beer in public places. It really is a different world there, where conservatism looks at alcohol much differently than here in North America.

“I am personally against the provision of alcohol in stadiums and public places based on our values and our traditions and our culture,” the secretary-general of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Al-Thawadi said this week.

FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura wants fans not to panic just yet, however. He says negotiations are ongoing between FIFA and it’s host and there may still be a way for alcohol to be served. One company who probably wants to ensure this is Budweiser, a top-tier sponsor of FIFA who will otherwise be promoting themselves to people who can’t drink their products.

This is just the way of life in Qatar, and the nation is not about to drop its own values just to accommodate visitors in 2022. If the ban does go through and you are thinking about going and bringing your own booze, forget about it. The importing of alcohol and drugs, amongst other items such as pork and porn, is also banned and checked regularly by security officials.

Maybe it will just be best to stay home and watch the games at your local sports bar. There will be plenty of beer and pork available there for you.

[The Washington Post/Bloomberg]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.