Saturday 19 November 2022 05:47 PM Thirsty fans brave chaotic queues, £12.50-a-pint prices and FIFA mockery to ... trends now
Fans are braving scrum-like crowds, extortionate prices and mockery from the FIFA leadership to finally get their hands on a pint at the Qatar World Cup.
Alcohol sales in Doha got off to a calamitous start as hundreds of football fans swarmed towards beer tents resulting in chaotic scenes in the FIFA fan zone.
Queues were long and packed and there were scenes of near pandemonium as fans surged through barriers to quench their thirst.
Security struggled to control the boisterous crowd, many of whom were chanting 'we want some beer' in a variety of different languages, including English and Spanish.
It came after FIFA president Gianni Infantino gave a bizarre and lengthy press conference in Doha this afternoon, in which he slammed critics of the World Cup and its booze ban.
This was despite having charged Budweiser £63million to become a sponsor, before they were informed they were not allowed to sell its beer in and around any of the stadiums just two days before kick-off.
The Qataris had previously promised to 'respect' all sponsors, but Budweiser were taken by surprise after the Conservative Royal Family allegedly pressured FIFA into the decision.
The FIFA fan zone officially opened today for the first time with beer on sale to fans.
A Croatia fan who succeeded in getting her beers smiles after battling through 'chaos'
The FIFA Fan Zone in Doha opened on Saturday evening and is designed to hold up to 40,000 people
One England fan said: 'I paid £12.50 for a pint of watered-down beer and I had to go through a rugby scrum to get it' (Picture: Mexico fan)
Security struggled to control the hundreds pushing to buy Budweiser, who have a beer monopoly on this year's tournament
Thousands packed into the FIFA fan zone on its official opening night in Qatar on Saturday
FIFA president Gianni Infantino attacked criticism of Qatar in a fiery press conference today
Bars opened at 6.30pm in the World Cup's largest fan zone in central Doha, which can accommodate up to 40,000 people.
But fan numbers are thought to have been far below that on Saturday evening as staff and security struggled to control the hundreds pushing to buy Budweiser, who have a beer monopoly on this year's tournament.
Phillip Bateman, a Leeds United supporter said: 'It's utter chaos. If they're struggling to cope with a relatively small crowd buying beer then how will they managed a crowd on match day?
'I paid £12.50 for a pint of watered-down beer and I had to go through a rugby scrum to get it.'
Jake, another England fan moaned: 'I've never seen such chaos over beer. There are people pushing and shoving, you have to walk for ages to get to the bar and security are struggling to cope.
'I've got my beers, but I won't be going back for anymore.'
It came after FIFA president Gianni Infantino
