Alcohol, a taboo with a difficult location in the Qatar 2022 World Cup

Cocktails at US $ 22, sale and consumption prohibited abroad and at airports. Fans traveling to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup must conform to local customs to satisfy their desire to drink alcohol.

One of the biggest sporting events on the planet is often linked to lavish celebrations.

But the all-star tournament for the beautiful game will be played for the first time in 2022 in a conservative Muslim emirate in the Gulf, where access to alcoholic beverages is severely restricted.

While the permits to buy alcohol are essentially reserved for residents, and the ‘Duty Free’ at the airport is ‘dry’ for drinks, tourists should stick to the fan areas and to certain bars and restaurants of large hotels … And the law sanctions being drunk on public roads.

Qatari World Cup organizers promise that alcohol will be “available in places intended for fans.”

“We work with the FIFA and local actors to ensure that they will meet the expectations of all fans, locals or tourists, “said a spokesperson.

During the 2019 Club World Cup, Qatar set up a ‘fan zone’ with a capacity for 45,000 people, offering alcoholic beverages for less than eleven dollars.

Camouflaged bottles, tinted glasses

In 2011 the emirate widely liberalized access to alcohol in The Pearl neighborhood, with the aim of attracting a wealthy Western community.

Recently, restaurateurs are again authorized to apply for licenses, but they face a taboo, since they fear to touch on this subject and even speak publicly for fear of provoking the rejection of some clients, the authorities or their owners.

“I had to wait a year and a half to get my permission, nobody wanted to sign the document for me. Many Qataris refuse to be associated with alcohol, ”explained a manager of a restaurant at The Pearl, overlooking the yachts.

Last summer he was able to serve alcohol with some conditions: it was not possible on terraces nor could bottles be placed on the tables. And the wine glasses had to be tinted.

Despite criticism from some neighbors on social media, she acknowledges that she had her “best month in eight years.”

“People are not going to understand that they must be closed indoors to drink, when the weather is magnificent at this time of year in Qatar,” he says of the World Cup.

Even the five-star hotels, which have all the licenses, find problems.

In a new establishment that is opening in the center of Doha, a group of waiters is formed in a bar that hopes to be a success during the tournament.

Taboo words

According to a person in charge of this hotel, the promotions of alcoholic beverages must improve their inventiveness to avoid the taboos of the Qatari society.

“There are words that we must avoid using. Instead of beer we say ‘hops and grain’, for wine ‘grapes’, for wine with bubbles ‘sparkling’ ”, she explains with amusement.

“We have different offers for brunches, the most expensive will give the right to alcohol and will be called ‘reserved pass’ to avoid disturbing Qataris who read the menu,” he adds.

The president of the Qatar Tourism Authority, Akbar al-Baker, assured that “there will be as much alcohol as they want.”

“We will make visitors live a unique experience of its kind,” he added without offering details.

For some observers, Qatar will be prepared in terms of infrastructure and organization, but the real challenge will be to offer leisure and fun to thousands of visitors in a small country little known for its attractions and parties.

“Given the experiences of the World Cup from 2006 to 2018, the spectators of the first round attend a match every three or four days only. They come mainly to have fun, ”explained an expert in sporting events.

According to this specialist, who requested anonymity, Qatar may lack “a true understanding of what the visitor expects”, accustomed to tourist attractions and alcohol as ingredients of their trip.