No alcohol in fanzones and possibly stadiums at World.

[Colburn_Claret]

But they promised that this World Cup would be a middle ground between western fans’ tastes and Qatar’s conservative culture. The stadium ban is backtracking on this promise. Also, it's quite convenient how this U-turn was announced only a couple of days before the start of the tournament. Basically, they had no intentions of keeping to what they previously said.

They also promised air conditioned stadia, and I don't disagree with anything you are saying. What I am saying is it's too late to moan about it now. If moving the goalposts matters, and I agree it should, then bring the England team home. Give the tournament a miss, and send the whole world a message that we disagree with the Qataris, I'd be happy if we did. If we stay then we have no right to tell them what to do, it's their country.

[depechedingle]

Sounds a barrel of laughs and fun out there!!!

[Spijed]

It's their country, they should do what they want. It doesn't mean the rest of us have to accept it, or agree with it. Just don't go there, don't give them the world cup. Treat them like the pariahs they deserve to be, but don't go and complain about it.

We ALL bang on about freedom of speech, when what most people believe is a freedom to agree with themselves. We are all different, it's called diversity, and we fight for the rights of diversity within the law. Qatar are entitled to believe, and enforce, what they want. It's up to the rest of us to either accept or disagree with that, that's our entitlement. I'm not defending the Qatari regime, just defending their right to run their country, the way they see fit.
If we had refused the invitation to go to Qatar in the first place, it would have done a lot more to let them look in the mirror, than going and then moaning about it.

So you are saying that any team who agrees to play in the tournament should conform to their laws on gay players, thus not selecting anyone from the LGBT community?

[Jakubclaret]

Here we go I was wondering how long it'd take for this to crop up.

[Ampth7]

Was never going to be any bother at this World cup. The only people going from England will be the small number of diehards who went to Russia.
The next Euros in Germany will be a different story altogether.

Yes, a very good point! Plenty of ‘Ultras’ from various countries will descend on Ze Deutschland to ‘mix’ it up with the German versions of this!

[Newcastleclaret93]

So you are saying that any team who agrees to play in the tournament should conform to their laws on gay players, thus not selecting anyone from the LGBT community?

Isn’t it something like 25% of the countries at the World Cup have similar laws on homosexuality?

[Spijed]

Isn’t it something like 25% of the countries at the World Cup have similar laws on homosexuality?

Even if that's the case should we refuse to select any players for England who are gay, if homosexuality is illegal in the hosting country?

[Nori1958]

If it was crap beer like they sell in most football stadiums then I applaud them for not selling it, especially at the rip of prices.
They were offering a burger and beer for 25 quid or something stupid.

But you can't get a beer anywhere else, unlike other football stadiums, where there is plenty available elsewhere

[Nori1958]

How come regular people can’t buy it but those paying £20k for an executive box can?

I think you've answered your question

[conyoviejo]

We have to remember that England was an anti gay country for many many years with gay people being hounded and put in jail for their beliefs. Maybe Qatar will someday change their way of thinking in the future like England did.

[Nori1958]

So you are saying that any team who agrees to play in the tournament should conform to their laws on gay players, thus not selecting anyone from the LGBT community?

They shouldnt.... But possibly will.... Who knows? Because those who live in a so called free society, are afraid to come out as gay..... So why now?

[Newcastleclaret93]

Even if that's the case should we refuse to select any players for England who are gay, if homosexuality is illegal in the hosting country?

Why wouldn’t we?

[Nori1958]

Here we go I was wondering how long it'd take for this to crop up.

Which bit?

[bpgburn]

Thought it was reported that no alcohol in Stadia and only in fanzones after 6.30pm and then limited to a maximum of 4 drinks?

[conyoviejo]

4 drinks at 12quid a pint. FFS.

[claret2018]

You can easily pay £12 a pint in this country

[Colburn_Claret]

So you are saying that any team who agrees to play in the tournament should conform to their laws on gay players, thus not selecting anyone from the LGBT community?

No you're trying to put words in my mouth.

I've said it's their country, it isn't up to us, to tell them how to run their country. If we disagree with them, we shouldn't be there.
Teams that disagree but go anyway, are hypocrites and selfish, going anyway IS accepting what they've done, and do, is right.

[Ampth7]

Of course all of this was always going to be the problem with hosting a World Cup in a place like Qatar.
Part of the experience for fans across the world is to get a taste of the culture of the home nation in question. Unfortunately, this means no/very limited alcohol access along with the potential to experience their far more divisive views and laws surrounding women and LGBTQ people.
Knowing that these issues were going to be so problematic, along with all of the other concerns around the viability of Qatar staging these games just makes the whole corruption scandal even more obvious and outrageous! They have literally bought the World Cup whilst the likes of Jack Warner are swimming in cash!

[Jakubclaret]

Which bit?

LGBT jazz.

[Nori1958]

You can easily pay £12 a pint in this country

Where?

[quoonbeatz]

This world cup will be absolutely shite.

[Nori1958]

Of course all of this was always going to be the problem with hosting a World Cup in a place like Qatar.
Part of the experience for fans across the world is to get a taste of the culture of the home nation in question. Unfortunately, this means no/very limited alcohol access along with the potential to experience their far more divisive views and laws surrounding women and LGBTQ people.
Knowing that these issues were going to be so problematic, along with all of the other concerns around the viability of Qatar staging these games just makes the whole corruption scandal even more obvious and outrageous! They have literally bought the World Cup whilst the likes of Jack Warner are swimming in cash!

But to change thxd rules after everyone had paid to go... Come on

[Bosscat]

If people aren't going why worry whether Ale is available

[Jakubclaret]

But to change thxd rules after everyone had paid to go... Come on

What did people seriously expect next you’ll be saying bacon baps to be served up. It’s common knowledge what the customs are to anybody with a half a brain.

[claret2018]

Where?

The pub in London where I had my last works do for one!

Not beyond the realms of possibility in high end hotels etc

[Nori1958]

The pub in London where I had my last works do for one!

Not beyond the realms of possibility in high end hotels etc

I've been out in many pubs in London... Never paid £12 a pint
Many posh hotels.. Never

Major tourist hotspots around the world... Never

Where do you have your works do at??

[bpgburn]

If we had refused the invitation to go to Qatar in the first place, it would have done a lot more to let them look in the mirror, than going and then moaning about it.

Don't forget though that the England team will be sporting a rainbow on their kit and flew in on a plane that had a cartoon character wearing rainbow coloured trainers painted on it, if that doesn't show then Qatari's just how strongly they feel about holding the tournament there and the disgust at their horrific human rights record, well, surely nothing will...

[ChrisG]

I've been out in many pubs in London... Never paid £12 a pint
Many posh hotels.. Never

Major tourist hotspots around the world... Never

Where do you have your works do at??

I paid £6 for a third of imperial stout the other day. It was 14% mind.

[Nori1958]

I paid £6 for a third of imperial stout the other day. It was 14% mind.

I've been drinking for 50 odd years.. What's a third?

[ChrisG]

I've been drinking for 50 odd years.. What's a third?

I mean I could have ordered a pint, but it would have been an early night!

[Nori1958]

I mean I could have ordered a pint, but it would have been an early night!

Is there really a third? Half yes, for wimps and women, but never heard of a third....

[ChrisG]

Is there reslly a third? Half yes, for wimps and women, but never heard of a third....

There is, indeed weights and measures law dictates that beer is only allowed to be sold in thirds, halves, two-thirds, of multiples of halves.

Handy when you want a 14% stout.

At circa 189ml, it's similar in size (and strength) of a glass of wine.

[claret2018]

I've been out in many pubs in London... Never paid £12 a pint
Many posh hotels.. Never

Major tourist hotspots around the world... Never

Where do you have your works do at??

[Claretnick]

There is, indeed weights and measures law dictates that beer is only allowed to be sold in thirds, halves, two-thirds, of multiples of halves.

Handy when you want a 14% stout.

At circa 189ml, it's similar in size (and strength) of a glass of wine.

Examples of a Third of a pint glass
https://www.stephensons.com/glassware/b ... er-glasses

[Nori1958]

There is, indeed weights and measures law dictates that beer is only allowed to be sold in thirds, halves, two-thirds, of multiples of halves.

Handy when you want a 14% stout.

At circa 189ml, it's similar in size (and strength) of a glass of wine.

Id love to find a pub/club in East lancs selling it
or abroad.... But at 14% it's a good job they do

[Nori1958]

So only one got above £12..…and if you want peanut butter flavoured beer you deserve to pay 12 quid....

[Colburn_Claret]

Is there really a third? Half yes, for wimps and women, but never heard of a third....

There's a pub in Paphos that specialises in beer from around the world. Some of it up to 60+%, and they sell it in shorts.
The stronger the beverage the smaller the drinks.

[ChrisG]

Id love to find a pub/club in East lancs selling it
or abroad.... But at 14% it's a good job they do

Yeah we definitely didn't have them in the Miners when I worked behind the bar... Very common in Manchester though.

To be fair, the glasses usually hold around 2/3rds of a pint with lines marked on for third, half, two-thirds.

Like I said, handy sizes if you want to try a strong beer without being on your arse. A couple of pints of 14% is the equivalent of a bottle and half of Shiraz!

[Nori1958]

Yeah we definitely didn't have them in the Miners when I worked behind the bar... Very common in Manchester though.

To be fair, the glasses usually hold around 2/3rds of a pint with lines marked on for third, half, two-thirds.

Like I said, handy sizes if you want to try a strong beer without being on your arse. A couple of pints of 14% is the equivalent of a bottle and half of Shiraz!

I get the reasoning for it

Spent many years drinking in Manchester and have never seen it....... Not that I would have had a go

[Chobulous]

So you are saying that any team who agrees to play in the tournament should conform to their laws on gay players, thus not selecting anyone from the LGBT community?

Being homosexual is not illegal in Qatar, practicing homosexuality is, so your argument about not picking players who are homosexual doesn’t hold water. And please don’t assume that I agree with Qatari laws, because I don’t. I just find this whole thread depressing, the fact that the biggest uproar is going to be over the the lack of alcohol.

[Chobulous]

I have zero interest in this particular World Cup.

And that piece of smugness is disproved by the fact that you were interested enough in this particular World Cup to participate in a thread about this particular World Cup.
To quote a famous right wing columnist “You couldn’t make it up”

[KateR]

But you can't get a beer anywhere else, unlike other football stadiums, where there is plenty available elsewhere

Plenty of places to get beer and alcohol in Qatar and it will be available outside the stadiums, plus as already mentioned, inside the stadium in the corporate boxes (noting that is today but tomorrow it could be different)

[Nori1958]

Plenty of places to get beer and alcohol in Qatar and it will be available outside the stadiums, plus as already mentioned, inside the stadium in the corporate boxes (noting that is today but tomorrow it could be different)

If you are staying in a campsite.... Don't have access to hotels, 6 star ships, or corporate boxes....... Where's does the normal fan get a drink....

[Jakubclaret]

£48 & still sober more money than sense.

[NRC]

If you are staying in a campsite.... Don't have access to hotels, 6 star ships, or corporate boxes....... Where's does the normal fan get a drink....

anyone can walk into a hotel - that's where all the bars are hosted. As for being gay, yes it's the practicing of it that's not allowed, though that doesn't stop males buggering other males as a display of domination and/or punishment - that's ok because you're not gay, you're just setting the record straight.

[Nori1958]

anyone can walk into a hotel - that's where all the bars are hosted. As for being gay, yes it's the practicing of it that's not allowed, though that doesn't stop males buggering other males as a display of domination and/or punishment - that's ok because you're not gay, you're just setting the record straight.

I've never mentioned gays

I've never been to quatar

The media reports says fans cannot get a drink..... If they are wrong so be it

[Swizzlestick]

LGBT jazz.

Favourite album?

[KateR]

If you are staying in a campsite.... Don't have access to hotels, 6 star ships, or corporate boxes....... Where's does the normal fan get a drink....

you can walk into any hotel and buy a drink, it's very easy, you can buy a drink outside every stadium, you have to be sensible, wear the right clothes and of course be respectful. I've lived in Qatar twice, once for 7 years then again later for 5 years, in the beginning tourists couldn't get a drink unless invited to someone's house but later during my second stay it became available in numerous bars and restaurants.

It's expensive, it's always been expensive, far far more difficult to get bacon though!

I don't agree with this WC for my own reasons but alcohol is definitely not one of them, there's enough issues without making them up, would I like a drink in the stadium if watching, absolutely!

[Nori1958]

anyone can walk into a hotel - that's where all the bars are hosted. As for being gay, yes it's the practicing of it that's not allowed, though that doesn't stop males buggering other males as a display of domination and/or punishment - that's ok because you're not gay, you're just setting the record straight.

The more I read this post, the more annoyed I get
I've answered regarding drink

But it makes it sound like I've somehow mentioned gays, which I 100% haven't

Should posts like this be allowed, putting words into people's mouths, that they've come nowhere close to uttering...... Seething doesn't cover it

[LeadBelly]

As a couple of contributors have mentioned, the main problem here is that they originally intimated (promised?) they would allow alcohol general sales in stadia (I believe Budweiser have set up bar facilities in all the stadia - and of course paid a huge amount to Fifa for the privilege).

A couple of days before k.o. (after 10+ years of planning) they have gone back on their word (evidently at the behest of the Royals in Qatar). It looks to me like they just wish to display/prove their authority over all the other parties (FIFA, Budweiser etc).

FIFA is overtly compromised now (if it wasnt bad enough already with even Sepp saying Qatar choice was a bad decision) they've been stuffed by Qatar (and deserve it).

Saw a BTL in the Telegraph saying "give it another 24hrs and FIFA will announce all fans will need to eat Halal meat and pray for at least 30mins before entering the stadiums!" It's a gag but there's an underlying truth in it - that FIFA have lost control of the competition that they prostituted themselves to locate there.