England fans confused as beer is advertised in stadium during game vs Iran

England fans were left a little confused as an advert for beer was brandished in the World Cup stadium during the team's match against Iran.

Alcohol has been a topic of contention ever since it was first announced that Qatar would be the host of this year's tournament.

The sale of alcohol is strictly controlled in the country and is typically available in just a few select hotels and bars.

Initially, FIFA and Qatari officials had agreed that fans would be able to get drinks in specific zones within the stadium.

But this all changed at the last minute, with a U-turn that was reportedly driven by pressure from the country's royal family after they visited one of the stadiums last week.

One loser out of all of this is Budweiser, as the brand had a massive £63 million deal with FIFA which meant it had exclusive rights to sell beer at the World Cup.

Twitter

Fans travelling to the Middle East can still enjoy a tipple or two, but only if they buy corporate hospitality tickets - which cost an eye-watering £19,000.

Or they can enjoy as many non-alcoholic Bud Zeros as they like.

Since the reversal of the rule was so last-minute, it appears the advertising deal is still in place.

But this only confused fans further ahead of and during England's Group B opener today (21 November).

While waiting for the game to commence, spectators noticed a huge billboard advising people to 'hydrate between Buds' alongside images of both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of the beer.

Marketing also tells fans to 'drink wiser' and 'cheer better'.

After kick-off, banners with the company's branding appeared alongside the pitch.

People have since pointed out the gaffe on Twitter, with one writing: "I don't care about the beer bans, but its kinda funny watching Budweiser ads as the official World Cup sponsor.

"You can watch it but can't drink it."

Another said: "Ads of Budweiser are played but beer is banned. What is that logic?"

A third added: "Seeing the giant @Budweiser ads at the #FIFAWorldCup after Qatar banned beer at the stadiums is hilarious."

PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo

"No beer at the World Cup but…everything is draped in Budweiser logos and ads," commented a fourth. "Got it."

Of course, outside the stadium there are 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 - unless you've got 20k to spare.

LADbible has contacted Budweiser for comment.