The British ambassador for Saudi Arabia told football fans “there are a lot of fun without alcohol,” as he warned that he would not expect to drink if he attended the 2034 World Cup.
Khalid Prince Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud said “We welcome you all” when asked to deal with the safety of LGBTQ+ people in a controversial tournament.
In an interview with LBC, Prince Khalid said: 100% unnecessary. And if you want to drink when you leave, you know if you are welcome or not after you leave. However, there is no alcohol at this time. ”
The Guardian previously reported that FIFA has decided not to force local organizers to sell beer inside the stadium during the World Cup.
However, there has been a lot of speculation that Saudi Arabia would try to roll back stricter laws on drinking by allowing tourists to drink at international hotels, perhaps as much as possible in the Gulf Coast. However, Prince Khalid appeared to reject the possibility in an interview, but he did so by using the present tense.
“There's no alcohol at all,” he said when asked about the hotel bar. “It's a dry country, rather like our weather. Everyone has their own culture. We are happy to cater to people within the boundaries of our culture, but I am We don't want to change our culture for someone else, right? And really, can't you live without a drink?”
Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, and people can be jailed for “promoting the evils and practices of homosexuality.” Before the Qatar World Cup, organizers said at the event “Everyone is welcome” and “Everyone is welcome” when asked about the subject in relation to 2034 , answered questions about possible discrimination.
“We welcome everyone,” he said. “I recently thought this was a problem at Qatar's World Cup. There was no problem. You know, this is a special event. It's not a Saudi Arabia event. It's a global event. And most of the time , we welcome everyone who wants to come.”
