Alcohol to be banned at 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has confirmed that alcohol will not be sold at the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which it will be hosting across five cities.

"Rather like our weather, it's a dry country. At the moment, we don't allow alcohol, but plenty of fun can be had without it. It's not 100% necessary," the Saudi ambassador to the UK, Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, told British digital radio station LBC News on Thursday.

"If you want to drink after you leave, you're welcome to, but at the moment, we don't have alcohol," he added.

Emphasizing cultural differences, Al Saud said Saudi Arabia is happy to accommodate people within their boundaries He added, however, that his country is not willing to change its culture for others.

In December 2024, FIFA officially announced Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 men's FIFA World Cup. This decision makes Saudi Arabia the second Middle Eastern country to host the prestigious international football tournament, following Qatar in 2022.

The tournament is set to take place across a total of 15 stadiums in Jeddah, Khobar, Abha, the capital Riyadh, and the planned city of Neom.

Notably, the 2034 World Cup will mark a historic milestone as the first edition to feature 48 teams, expanding the competition's format.