Saudi Arabia has confirmed that there will be a full alcohol ban at the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
The Saudi ambassador to the UK, Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud, told LBC radio today that alcohol would not be sold during the tournament, including at hotels.
“At the moment, we don’t allow alcohol,” he said. “Plenty of fun can be had without alcohol. If you want to drink after you leave, you’re welcome to, but at the moment, we don’t have alcohol.”
Asked whether fans would be able to consume alcohol in hotels, as was the case at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, he responded: “No, there is no alcohol at all. Rather like our weather, it’s a dry country. Everyone has their own culture. We’re happy to accommodate people within the boundaries of our culture, but we don’t want to change our culture for someone else.”
Prince Khalid, however, insisted that Saudi Arabia would welcome all visitors. “It is not a Saudi event, it is a world event,” he stated. “To a large extent, we will welcome everyone who wants to come.”
Saudi Arabia strictly prohibits alcohol consumption in line with Shari’ah law, which considers it harmful to individuals and society.
The Kingdom enforces severe penalties for alcohol-related offences, including fines, imprisonment, and deportation for foreigners caught violating the law.
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The issue of alcohol availability has previously arisen in Muslim-majority countries hosting major sporting events. In the 2022 World Cup, Qatar initially planned to allow alcohol sales in stadiums but reversed the decision two days before the tournament began. However, alcohol remained available in designated fan zones and hotel bars.
In December 2024, FIFA officially announced Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 men’s FIFA World Cup. This decision came after a bidding process where Saudi Arabia was the only candidate.
The tournament will be held across 15 stadiums in five host cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and NEOM. Each host city will have two FIFA Fan Festival™ sites to celebrate the culture and hospitality of Saudi Arabia alongside the football matches.
The decision has been met with significant criticism from western human rights groups, focusing on Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, including issues related to gender equality, the treatment of migrant workers, and freedom of expression.
Critics also accuse Saudi Arabia of using the event for “sportswashing,” aiming to improve its international image through sports despite ongoing human rights issues.
On the other hand, Saudi officials have expressed ambitions for the tournament to leave a lasting positive impact on football development, infrastructure, and social change in the country.
