Saudi official denies that alcohol ban will be lifted ahead of World Cup
Saudi Arabia has denied reports that it will lift a long-standing ban on alcohol in the Gulf kingdom ahead of the 2034 World Cup.
Several international media outlets reported this week that Saudi authorities were planning to allow alcohol sales in tourist settings.
The report first appeared on a wine blog last week, but did not cite a source.
It had claimed that the 73-year-old ban would be lifted on wine, beer and cider in licensed venues including luxury hotels, five-star resorts and tourist developments.
On Monday, a Saudi official denied the reports to Reuters. An informed source aware of the matter told Arab News: “These claims lack any official confirmation from relevant authorities and do not reflect existing policies or regulations in Saudi Arabia.”
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While alcohol remains banned, there has been a relaxing of some social norms since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the Vision 2030 strategy nine years ago.
The initiative seeks to move the kingdom away from oil reliance and improve its reputation around the world.
Since it began, music festivals, fashion shows and cinemas have been legalised in the country.
A ban on women driving was also lifted in 2017, and there was easing of gender segregation in some public spaces.
Last year, the first alcohol store in Riyadh was opened, to serve non-Muslim diplomats. Prior to that, it was only available through the black market or diplomatic mail.
The source told Arab News that the move was aimed at preventing the unauthorised use of diplomatic shipments, and control the use of alcohol under strict regulatory guidelines.
In December, Saudi Arabia was unveiled as the host of the 2034 World Cup.
Its Gulf neighbour Qatar hosted the tournament in 2022. While it did not allow the sale of alcohol in stadiums during the tournament, it was sold in special fan zones.
Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the UK, said in February that alcohol wouldn't be available in the stands for the 2034 tournament.
“Rather like our weather, it’s a dry country,” he said. “Everyone has their own culture, and we’re happy to accommodate people within the boundaries of ours, but we don’t want to change our culture for someone else.”
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