Saudi Arabia to make major change to alcohol rules ahead of World Cup
The ultra-conservative nation will end its 73-year ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in tourist venues by 2026.
Visitors will be allowed to drink wine, beer, and cider at licensed locations such as five-star hotels and tourist developments, local media claimed, in plans which were widely reported internationally.
The plans form part of the Gulf State's Vision 2030, an initiative to attract tourists and investment in the lead up to hosting major international events, including Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup in 2034.
Authorities said the goal 'is to welcome the world without losing cultural identity — positioning Saudi Arabia as a progressive, yet respectful player on the global tourism map.'
Under the new alcohol regulations, certain venues will be allowed to serve beer, wine and cider.
They will by operated by trained staff under tight licensing conditions.
Drinks and liquor with more than 20% alcohol content will remain banned.
As the new policy is directed at tourists and expats, alcohol in homes, public spaces, retail outlets will also still be outlawed.
The government added in a statement: 'Sales will only happen under controlled environments, with licensed service staff and clear operational rules in place to make sure alcohol is handled responsibly and respectfully.'
The permitted venues will be concentrated in the futuristic luxury developments being built as part of their tourism drive, such as Neom and the Red Sea Project.
The country's leader Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is hoping the changes will allow Saudi Arabia to compete with other Gulf states that permit alcohol already.
The UAE and Bahrain allow alcohol consumption in certain tourist zones.
Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the UK had previously said alcohol would be banned when they host the World Cup in 2024.
Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud told LBC that hotels, restaurants or stadiums will not be permitted to serve alcoholic beverages during the tournament.
When asked if fans would be able to buy alcohol anywhere during the tournament, the prince replied: 'No, no. There is no alcohol at all.
'Rather like our weather, it is a dry country. At the moment we do not allow alcohol, but you know, plenty of fun can be had without alcohol.'
This struck down suggestions that Saudi Arabia would follow in the footsteps of Qatar, another Muslim country, when they hosted the football tournament in 2022.
Supporters there were able to buy alcohol from selected hotels, but not at the stadiums.
International football events are a popular time for British football fans to drink alcohol.
Pubgoers drank 364 million pints during the Euro 2020 tournament, with the final between England and Italy seeing 13 million sunk alone. More Trending
However the new licensing laws permitting alcohol will roll out in 2026.
This is just four years before they host the Expo 2030 in their capital Riyadh.
The large international exhibition takes place every five years in different cities and showcases the national achievements while promoting global co-operation.
Metro approached the Saudi Arabian government for comment.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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