Football fans reacted with a mix of anger and resignation at the ban on sales of beer at World Cup stadiums today.
England fan Alex Todd, 25, from Solihull in the West Midlands, said: ‘It’s madness. Why is the World Cup here when basic pleasures are taken from you?
‘I expect this will not go down that well when most of the England fans are here.’
Brian Davidson, the first fan in Qatar to drink an official World Cup beer, said: ‘I’m devastated, it doesn’t make sense. What’s wrong with having a beer at a match? Beer wasn’t going to be sold inside the stadiums anyhow, just on the concourse outside.
‘Millions of people are coming from all over the world and they just want to watch football, enjoy the sun and knock back a few beers.
‘I’ll just have to go to the fan zones or a hotel for a drink but it’s a real pity that the Qataris have implemented this ban.’
German fan Daniel Schwestka, 30, from Dusseldorf, said: ‘Football without beer is not football.’
He added: ‘I go to many matches even in the third German leagues, and you can have a beer.
‘It is normal to drink beer at football and this is the World Cup.
‘When I arrived in Doha yesterday, I had two bottles of whiskey, my luggage and they took it from me at the airport.
‘I knew it was going be difficult to drink here. But how can they ban beer at the actual stadiums. It is ridiculous, yes.’
Australian fans said sponsors Budweiser should solve the issue before the tournament kicks off on Sunday.
IT consultant Simon Whiting, 50, from Canberra, said: ‘You need a cold beer in this heat. I have been looking for one the time I have been here.
‘They are hard to find anyway so I suppose there will be no point looking at the matches then.’
Steve Mifsud, 39, from Sydney, said: ‘I have heard the beers are very expensive, anyway, around AU$13 a pint.
‘So maybe if there’s pain… it will save us a few dollars, but you do need beer at football.’
England fan Ryan Williams, who works as an engineer in Doha, smirked when asked about the beer ban.
‘I’ve got tickets to England games and that’s what really matters.
‘We’ve been told by our employers not to say anything negative about the World Cup, so no comment to your question about the beer!’
News of the beer ban, however, did not bother England fans who had travelled as part of a party from Nottingham.
Kevin Hall, 63, who has missed one England home match since 1979, said: ‘I have absolutely no qualms about beer not being available at the stadiums.
‘It is the custom here. You have to accept it.
‘We had been told before we came here that alcohol was forbidden in much of the country, so it’s not going to be a problem at all.’
His friend Kevin Fulcher, 68, added: ‘We are here to see if England can win the World Cup.
‘This is a Muslim country and we respect the traditions and hope the other England fans do as well.’
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