Alcohol will not be allowed at the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, the nation's ambassador to the United Kingdom has said.
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- Saudi to host World Cup in 2034
- Alcohol prohibited in Middle East nation
- No plans to change their stance
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Middle Eastern country was awarded the tournament in December after submitting the only bid to host it, resulting in criticism being aimed at FIFA due to the nation's human rights record and treatment of the LGBTQ+ community.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Alcohol is currently prohibited in Saudi Arabia but the country has no intention of following the example of 2022 hosts Qatar, which made it available in fan zones but not inside stadiums. According to Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud, fans will have to enjoy the festivities without booze.
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WHAT SAUDI ARABIA SAID
"At the moment, we don't allow alcohol," the ambassador told . "Plenty of fun can be had without alcohol – it's not 100 percent necessary and if you want to drink after you leave, you're welcome to, but at the moment we don't have alcohol."
He added: "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… I mean, really? You can't live without a drink?"
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- AFP
WHAT NEXT?
The lack of alcohol may cause problems for FIFA as sponsorships from beer companies provide a lot of revenue around the World Cup. It remains to be seen if the governing body will push for Saudi Arabia to alter its stance over the next nine years.
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