In a surprise reversal, Qatar announced a ban on alcoholic beer at the eight stadiums hosting the World Cup. That leaves fans with just one beer choice - albeit one that isn't boozy.
Soccer fans will still be able to purchase Bud Zero, an alcohol-free lager that Anheuser-Busch says tastes similar to its best-selling alcoholic beverage.
One serving of Bud Zero has 0 grams of sugar and 50 calories. The beer, which is Bud's first zero alcohol beer, was launched in the United States two years ago, targeting a growing trend of people choosing non-alcoholic beers.
Non-alcoholic alternatives to booze have been around for a while, but lately the sector has been booming. The non-alcoholic trend picked up a year or two before the pandemic and has continued to grow at a rapid rate. Demand for non-alcoholic alternatives has been driven by younger consumers.
Qatar is considered a Muslim country that is considered to be very conservative, and tightly regulates alcohol sales and usage. In September, officials said that ticketed fans would be able to buy alcoholic beer three hours before kickoff and one hour after the final whistle, but not during the match.
Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus on the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar's FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeter, said FIFA, soccer's governing body.
The decision will have no impact on sales of Bud Zero, according to FIFA.
Budweiser tweeted, Well, this is awkward, though the social media post was quickly deleted.
As partners of FIFA for over three decades, we look forward to our activations of FIFA World Cup campaigns across the world to celebrate football with our consumers, an Anheuser-Busch InBev spokeswoman said in a statement. Some of the planned stadium activations can't move forward due to circumstances beyond our control. It is somewhat awkward for AB InBev, which is a major sponsor of the World Cup, and was planning to sell regular Bud. Just a few days ago, reports showed World Cup workers moving beer tents into less visible areas of stadiums.
AB InBev paid $75 million for the sponsorship, according to multiple reports. The decision has put a wrench into their marketing plans as it reduces its presence for thousands of fans at the World Cup. However, its TV ads with football royalty Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr. won't be affected.
Conrad Wiacek, head of sports analysis at GlobalData, said in an email that Qatar banned all alcohol on the grounds for the upcoming FIFA World Cup just days before it begins presents an illusion that FIFA is not in control of its own tournament and risks alienating Budweiser, a key sponsor and long-term partner of the governing body.
The decision could have ramifications for the future, Wiacek said, noting that Budweiser's partnership with the World Cup ends after this year.
Budweiser will be cautious in order to burn its bridges with the governing body, as the US tournament will be highly prized in 2026. He said that going elsewhere would open up opportunities for other alcohol brands in its wake.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 kicks off Sunday and lasts until December 18.