World Cup Fans Loudly Rooted For Beer During Ecuador Game
One of the greatest competitions in the world of sport is now underway. But so far, the biggest story of the World Cup hasn't been feats of athletic abilities, but rather, the many controversies surrounding the host nation of Qatar.
As the BBC explains, Qatar was a controversial choice for this year's competition ever since it was selected back in 2010. NPR reports that former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who oversaw the vote, has stated that selecting Qatar was a mistake. Blatter cited the small but oil-rich country's size as his reason for walking back his personal support. Other critics have cited larger human rights issues for their opposition to Qatar's role as host.
The New York Times claims that Qatar had very little of the necessary infrastructure to properly host such a large event. To construct the seven new stadiums, roads, hotels, and new subway system for the global event, the country relied on many foreign workers. The treatment of these workers has been under fire, as an estimate from The Guardian cited 6,500 deaths of those same workers (via the BBC).
Qatar has also been criticized for its laws against same-sex relationships, per the BBC. The Athletic reports that many countries had promised to wear One Love armbands as a show of solidarity with the LGBTQ community around the globe but have since rescinded on their promise. That hasn't been the only controversial backsliding that's taken place, though.
Qatar banned alcohol sales days before the event
The Athletic reports that Ecuador fans cheered proudly in their national team's 2-0 winning match against Qatar. The loudest cheers of all, though, might have been for an ice-cold beer. As witnessed in a video shared on Twitter, Ecuador's fans chanted "queremos cerveza" during the match, which translates to "we want beer."
The New York Times reported on Nov. 18 that Qatar had walked back its promise that alcohol sales would be permitted inside stadiums during the World Cup. While the host country had 12 years to prepare for the event, it only announced the policy change two days before it was scheduled to begin.
As the BBC explains, the sale and consumption of alcohol in public places is highly restricted in Qatar. The Guardian says that alcohol sales for the event will now only be allowed in designated "fan zones," luxury seating areas inside the venues, and in hotel lobbies. This also puts the $75 million contract between FIFA and exclusive beer provider Budweiser in jeopardy — no alcohol sales are permitted within stadiums and their surrounding areas except for the non-alcoholic Budweiser Zero. Fans from Ecuador and abroad won't be able to use beer to toast their national teams' chances of taking home the sport's most treasured prize.