Saudi Arabia denies plans to relax alcohol laws for World Cup
Saudi Arabia has denied reports that it would lift its long-standing alcohol ban when it hosts the World Cup in 2034.
A Saudi official said on Monday that no alcohol would be sold at the tournament in line with existing law.
Several media outlets cited unnamed government sources as saying that beer and wine could be available at licensed venues, including luxury hotels, five-star resorts, and major tourist developments.
The reports said the move was part of an effort to compete with other Gulf destinations, like Dubai and Bahrain, for tourists and help diversify its economy away from oil.
However, while Saudi Arabia has relaxed some of its religious laws in recent years under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's reform agenda – such as allowing women to drive – alcohol remains taboo.
The country adheres to a strict interpretation of Islamic law called Shariah and makes alcohol illegal for Muslims and non-Muslims living in the kingdom.
The speculation that an exemption would have been made for the football appears to have stemmed from a little-known wine blog and sparked widespread debate online inside the conservative kingdom.
The issue is highly sensitive inside the desert monarchy, where the king holds the title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina – Islam's most sacred sites.
However, other Gulf monarchies have been easing some restrictions as they attempt to attract western tourists.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the only Gulf countries that still prohibit its sale, though in early 2024, Riyadh opened its first alcohol shop exclusively for non-Muslim diplomats. Previously, alcohol was accessible only via diplomatic mail or on the black market.
Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Saudi ambassador to the UK, had already dashed hopes in February that football fans would be able to see the games with a drink in hand. 'Rather like our weather, it's a dry country,' he said.
'Everyone has their own culture, and we're happy to accommodate people within the boundaries of ours, but we don't want to change our culture for someone else,' he said.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the hosts initially agreed to permit beer sales in stadiums but caused consternation among fans by reversing the decision shortly before the tournament began.
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