Qatar is “refusing to say whether it will sell alcohol at stadiums during the 2022 World Cup,” with Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee General Secretary Hassan al-Thawadi yesterday saying that he “didn’t see the reason for selling it at matches,” according to Michael Casey of the AP. Qatar “doesn’t sell alcohol currently at soccer matches.” al-Thawadi added, “That is something we are discussing with FIFA...Let’s discuss this with relevant stakeholders and come up with a plan that welcomes everyone.” FIFA has said that it will “sharply defend the commercial rights of all its sponsors -- among them brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, the maker of Budweiser, which has extended its sponsorship of the World Cup through the 2018 edition in Russia and the 2022 event in Qatar” (AP, 3/14).

