Soccer-With stadium beer ban, World Cup fans look for sip of hope

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - FIFA Fan Festival Opening - FIFA Fan Festival at Al Bidda Park, Doha, Qatar - November 19, 2022 An Argentina fan carries beers during the opening of the FIFA fan festival REUTERS/Marko Djurica

DOHA (Reuters) - Soccer fans who travelled thousands of kilometres to get a glimpse of the sport's most prestigious event savoured their first sips of beer at the launch of a fan festival on Saturday, a rare place where they can drink alcohol at the World Cup.

In a last minute U-turn, two days before the tournament's opening match, international soccer governing body FIFA said on Friday that alcoholic beer would not be sold at Qatar's World Cup stadiums.