Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Infantino insists FIFA is ‘200%’ in control of World Cup after last-minute beer ban

Infantino insists FIFA is ‘200%’ in control of World Cup after last-minute beer ban

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has insisted he feels ”200 percent in control” of the World Cup after the governing body changed its policy on selling alcohol inside stadiums in Qatar 48 hours before the opening match.
The sale of alcohol is strictly controlled in Qatar, which is a Muslim country, but was set to be served in “select areas” at the eight match venues before FIFA pulled the plug yesterday, reportedly under pressure from the Qatari government.

As part of an extraordinary press conference, largely spent defending the tournament hosts, Infantino said the decision was made jointly between FIFA and Qatar, claimed it was no different from existing policy in a number of European countries and suggested the move was down to safety concerns.

“If this is the biggest issue we have for the World Cup, I will sign immediately and go to the beach and relax until 18th of December,” Infantino told around 400 reporters as a part of an hour-long monologue covering a range of different topics.

“Let me first assure you that every decision taken at this World Cup is a joint decision between Qatar and FIFA.

“It is discussed, debated and taken jointly. There will be many fanzones - eight, ten - over 200 places where you can buy alcohol in Qatar.

“Over 10 fanzones where over 100,000 can simultaneously drink alcohol. I think personally, if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive, especially because actually the same rules apply in France or Spain or in Portugal, or in Scotland. No beer is allowed in the stadiums.

“Here it becomes a big thing because its a Muslim country. I don't know why. We tried. It's the one I give you of course, a late change of policy.

“Because we tried until the end to see if it was possible. But one thing is to have plans and designs and another thing is when you start putting it in place.

“You look at the flows of the people, look at their safety going in and out, going to attend different matches.

“This is something at this World Cup that is new in that respect. Because normally at a World Cup there is only one match in one given city which is usually three times the size, at least, the smallest one, of Doha.

“Here we have four matches the same day so we have to make sure people can go in and out in the right way. And that's why we take the decision about the beer.”

Infantino added: “I feel 200 percent in control of this World Cup, absolutely. Again, every decision is taken in partnership with the Qatar government.”

Alcohol will still be served in corporate areas of grounds but fan groups have accused FIFA of pulling the rug from under travelling supporters.

In the wake of yesterday's announcement, Budweiser, an official World Cup sponsor and long-term FIFA partner, tweeted: “Well, this is awkward...”, and there have been suggestions the beer giant could take legal action against the world governing body for breach of contract.

Budweiser have since deleted the tweet, and Infantino suggested FIFA had renewed their partnership with the brand for a further four years.

“Budweiser is a great partner of FIFA for a few decades already,” Infantino said. “And a few weeks ago we have been shaking hands with their chairman and CEO to continue our partnership as well until 2026.

“Partners are partners in good and bad times, difficult and easy times. I'm very grateful to Budweiser in this respect and to Michel [Doukeris, CEO of In-Bev, Budweiser's parent company] for the co-operation in the last years and the last couple of weeks when we decided the future and now when we make sure the Bud Zero will be serve in the stadiums.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×