Fans who take part in the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia cannot buy or consume alcohol during the tournament, the country’s ambassador in Great Britain has confirmed.
In an interview with LBC, Prince Khalid Bin Bandar Al Saud explained that alcohol sales would be completely prohibited, even in hotels.
After FIFA’s confirmation that Saudi Arabia will host the men’s World Cup 2034, Prince Khalid made it clear that the country’s attitude towards alcohol would remain unchanged.
“At the moment we don’t allow alcohol,” he said.
“Without alcohol, you can have a lot of fun – it is not 100% necessary and if you want to drink after your departure, you are welcome, but at the moment we don’t have alcohol.”
When asked whether the fans are allowed to drink in hotel bars, as was allowed at the World Cup 2022 in Qatar, he repeated: “No, there is no alcohol at all. Rather like our weather, it’s a dry country.
“Everyone has their own culture. We look forward to accommodating people within the borders of our culture, but we do not want to change our culture for someone else. “
The logistics of the alcohol at the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia was confirmed.#Bbbcfootball pic.twitter.com/lxnblwf63j
– BBC Sport (@bbcsport) February 12, 2025
The question of the availability of alcohol was an important topic that led to the World Cup 2022 in Qatar, another nation of the Muslim majority with strict alcohol regulations.
In the beginning, Qatar had planned to allow alcohol sales in stadiums, but this decision was reversed just a few days before the tournament began. However, the fans were still able to buy alcoholic drinks in designated fan zones and selected hotel bars.
However, Saudi Arabia seems to take a firmer attitude by enforcing a complete ban on alcohol throughout the event.
Her attitude to human rights was also the subject of global examination, especially with regard to LGBTQ+ rights. Same-sex relationships are illegal in the country, and transgender identities are not officially recognized. Nevertheless, Prince Khalid assured that everyone would be welcome at the tournament.
He added: “We will all welcome Saudi Arabia. It is not a Saudi event, it is a world event, and we will greatly welcome everyone to come. “
Saudi Arabia has accusations of having used its growing commitment to global sport as a “sports sport” – efforts to improve its international image in view of the concerns about human rights and environmental policy.
The nation has invested strongly in sports, including football, boxing and Formula 1, and raises questions about its broader intentions.
