Budweiser deletes response to Fifa confirming World Cup alcohol stadium ban

Budweiser tweeted and quickly deleted their response to the news that FIFA is set to ban the sale of alcohol at all eight of Qatar's World Cup stadiums.

The announcement has been made just days before the international competition is set to kick off in Qatar.

Football and beer definitely do go hand-in-hand for most fans of the sport, but things are going to be quite different this time around thanks to demands made by Qatari officials today (18 November).

While fans watching from home can enjoy a few pints during the next weeks of matches, those who have made the journey Qatar will be enjoying a sober holiday.

The most hard-hit by this news has got to be FIFA sponsor Budweiser, who are now being told to stand down, breaching their multimillion-dollar contract with the company.

The beer brand, who is locked into an alleged $75 million (£62 million) deal with FIFA, has been asked to relocate their stands.

Reacting to the major blow, a tweet posted this morning from the official Budweiser account read: "Well, this is awkward..."

The tweet has since been deleted.

Twitter

Confirming the ban, a statement issued by FIFA read: "Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar's FIFA World Cup 2022- stadium perimeters.

"There is no impact to the sale of Bud Zero which will remain available at all Qatar's World Cup stadiums. Host country authorities and FIFA will continue to ensure that the stadiums and surrounding areas provide an enjoyable, respectful and pleasant experience for all fans.

"The tournament organisers appreciate AB InBev's understanding and continuous support to our joint commitment to cater for everyone during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022."

This doesn't mean that there'll be no alcohol available for fans who travelled all the way out to the Gulf State.

There'll be plenty of other areas to get your hands on an ice cold beer, including hotels and designated fan zones. But once you're inside the stadium, it's non-alcoholic beverages only.

Fifa and Qatar had previously reached an agreement that the sale of alcohol would be allowed in a security perimeter outside venues, but not inside the stadium bowls themselves.

Qatar/Alamy Stock Photo

However, footage shared online on Sunday showed members of staff moving tents bearing Budweiser's logo to new locations.

The demand is thought to have come from the Al Thani royal family in Qatar, which typically restricts the sale of alcohol only to certain hotels in Doha.

Alcohol isn't illegal in Qatar, though its sale is very strictly controlled across the state.

LADbible has reached out to Fifa for comment.