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Rabat – In a bid to promote its beer at the World Cup in Qatar, where alcohol consumption is strictly regulated, Budweiser, the official beer partner of the global tournament, will offer its alcohol-free Budweiser Zero at the sporting event’s venues, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Thursday.
World Cup organizers will allow the sales of alcoholic beer at World Cup matches “three hours before kickoff and one hour after the final whistle” outside of the stadium stands and concourse, Reuters reported earlier this month. But alcohol-free beer will be served at “stations around the tournament and inside soccer stadiums’ main bowls, where alcohol sales aren’t permitted,” WSJ said.
AP News indicated earlier this month that fans will also be allowed to buy Budweiser alcoholic beer during evenings at the official “Fan Festival,” which will take place in a downtown Doha park from 6:30 pm to 1:00 am.
The 2022 World Cup marks the first time for the global tournament to be held in a Muslim country, where alcohol consumption is strictly controlled or outlawed. While consuming alcohol bought from authorized suppliers is legal in Qatar, drinking in public is prohibited and punishable by law, according to Doha Guides.
“We’re working with the local authorities to make sure that we will be absolutely compliant with all the specificities of the regulation,” said Marcel Marcondes, global chief marketing officer at Budweiser’s parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev.
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WSJ quoted Marcondes as saying that alcohol restrictions in the Gulf country will be an “opportunity to encourage more people to try Budweiser Zero.” He added that “there will be millions of people watching the games [in Qatar], so it’s a sizable trial opportunity for sure.”
WSJ noted that Anheuser-Busch InBev executives want their products containing low and zero alcohol “to make up at least 20% of the company’s global beer volume by 2025.”
The global tournament will kick off on November 20, marking the sporting event’s opening ceremony and the opening match between host country Qatar and Ecuador.
