By Victor Kanayo
Officials have announced that alcohol will not be allowed at the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud, in an interview on LBC, emphatically stated that alcohol would not be sold anywhere during the tournament, including in hotels.
The envoy told the BBC, “At the moment, we don’t allow alcohol.
“Plenty of fun can be had without alcohol – it’s not 100% necessary, and if you want to drink after you leave, you’re welcome to, but at the moment, we don’t have alcohol.”
Asked whether that meant fans would be able to drink once they returned to their hotels, as was the case at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he added: “No, there is no alcohol at all.
“Rather like our weather, it’s a dry country. 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.”
In 2022, when Qatar, another Muslim country, hosted the Mundial, alcohol wasn’t allowed in the stadium, but fans and others had access to all manner of drinks in hotels and other designated areas outside the sports arena.
Aside from alcohol, Saudi Arabia’s top official said the country will accommodate all who are willing to be part of the global football showpiece.
