Muslim countries exclude the consumption of alcohol and at the same time discourage it in visitors from other cultures, perhaps for this reason, ordering a half-liter glass of Budweiser, sponsor of the soccer governing body, becomes a tedious process.
The US beer giant’s stalls are only set up on the official premises, so fans travel miles by subway or bus to satisfy their desire.
Within the FIFA Fan Festival, arriving at the counter is also an inconvenience, depending on the influx of visitors in the place. A policeman regulates access to a 150-meter serpentine channel that ends in front of the refrigerators with the desired drink. The procedure can take several minutes.
Indeed, the Argentines, Mexicans, Germans, Japanese, Dutch, English and fans of other nationalities who visit the place opt for the pragmatism of buying in quantity.
Drinking beer in Qatar is not for picky eaters. The drink is previously deposited in a plastic container at the risk of losing the ideal temperature according to the time it has been served.
While the World Cup matches are projected on giant screens, fans are left with cardboard trays of up to four glasses to honor this closely linked soccer custom. For each one you pay approximately 14 dollars.
Two days before the start of the World Cup, by order of the emir Tamim bin Hamad Al ThaniQatar changed its plans and prohibited the sale of beer in the vicinity of the eight stadiums that host the World Cup matches.
The agreement between the authorities and FIFA contemplated that the drink could be purchased at positions far from each court up to two hours before the start of each game and one hour after the game ended.
The Budweiser company, upon learning of the measure last Friday, posted a tweet on its official account (“Well, this is awkward”), which it later deleted.
The Fan Festival, the only place enabled for its sale, apart from some international hotel and restaurant chains, was enabled last Saturday with fans desperate for a glass of beer after forming long lines on the premises.
The Al Bidda Park site, a 188-hectare green lung facing Doha Bay, works daily from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. until next Tuesday and from the following day it will open its doors only at 4:00 p.m. hour.
It has a capacity for 40,000 people and has a FIFA museum, a press centre, an exclusive restaurant, a gastronomic walk, games, entertainment activities and stands of the sponsors of the World Cup.
Source: Ambito
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