EXCLUSIVE: As controversy once again surround the World Cup because of its huge costs, FIFA has told the Daily Star that Brits will be able to drink alcohol during key matches
England fans will be able to drink beer in their seats while watching the Three Lions at next summer’s World Cup. Football’s governing body FIFA told the Daily Star it will not be adopting the ‘no boozing’ rule that has applied in Britain for the past 40 years for the tournament jointly hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.
Not only will beer be on sale inside stadiums at all 16 cities hosting matches but supporters will be able to take it back to their seats. The ‘beer we go’ boost comes as FIFA has been blasted over high match ticket prices at the tournament.
It has introduced a raft of £45 budget seats for some fans in a bid to calm the furore. Now football chiefs have given the go ahead to the softest matchday drinking rules for decades.
Booze sales were dramatically banned at all matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar just 48 hours before the tournament kicked off. The host nation — an Islamist country where Muslims are banned from boozing — insisted on the bar at the last minute even though Belgian multinational brewer AB InBev was one of the main tournament sponsors.
Boozing in sight of the pitch has been banned in Britain since 1985. It was introduced in the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act to combat hooliganism and, despite several bids to get it overturned, still applies to the top five tiers of men’s football.
But FIFA has confirmed it will not be following the policy at the 2026 World Cup finals and will instead copy American sports like NFL and baseball allow boozing in the stands. Sponsors AB InBev’s beers — including Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois, and Bud Light — will be on sale at all matches.
And there will be no restrictions where fans drink them. The brewers will even award the man-of-the-match trophy after each game following fan votes.
But FIFA is still in discussions over prices. A spokesman for the sport’s governing body said: “As the official beer sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026, AB InBev will have exclusive marketing rights within the stadiums and also the opportunity to make a range of their products available for consumption at all 104 matches.
“FIFA can also confirm that beer will be on sale inside the stadiums for fans of a legal drinking age and they will be able to consume alcoholic beverages in their seats. As part of their inventory AB InBev will award the Superior Player of the Match trophy to a standout player after every match in the FIFA World Cup 2026 through a fan vote.
“FIFA is working with all relevant stakeholders to determine appropriate market pricing.” It comes as FIFA has landed itself in hot water over the pricing of another staple of the tournament: the tickets themselves.
Fans were shocked when they learned they would have to shelf out over double the amount they had to pay to see their teams win the tournament in Qatar back in 2022. However, FIFA has defended the decision, saying it will change more money to see more popular teams play, increasing equality between matches.
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