Where to get a beer? Bars packed amid Qatar's alcohol limits
The question of where to get a drink, a fixture at sporting events around the world, in the conservative country has been top of mind for many fans since Qatar banned the sale of beer in stadiums in a stunning about-face
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Chris, a British fan in Qatar for the World Cup, tried to order a beer with his dinner at a kebab joint on Sunday. He was quickly rebuffed.
He sighed and settled for a lemonade instead. “If I were a few years younger, I wouldn't have even come to this World Cup,” said Chris, a 34-year-old sales manager from London who declined to give his last name for privacy reasons.
The question of where to get a drink, a fixture at sporting events around the world, in the conservative Islamic country has been top of mind for many fans since Qatar banned the sale of beer in stadiums on Friday in a stunning about-face. As a result, many of Doha's bars and nightclubs — one of the rare places fans can get alcohol — were packed with crowds and had their tables fully booked on Sunday as the tournament kicked off with the match between the host country and Ecuador.
“We are super full," said the hostess at Aqua Lounge bar in the Marriott Hotel. “It is painful to turn guests down." The Irish Pub said the weekend has been “crazy." DT Nightlife Club on the Corniche, a palm-tree lined boulevard along the Doha waterfront, advised fans to “come as early as possible, or else it probably won't be possible."
