‘We tried but…’ – FIFA President Gianni Infantino opens up on alcohol ban in stadiums during World Cup

With the FIFA World Cup just hours away from kick-off, the president, Gianni Infantino addressed the media and opened up on the alcohol ban in Qatar and said that the fans should be able to survive without alcohol for three hours. 

For the unversed, Qatar, the hosts of the biggest sporting event, banned beer sales in and around the stadium, much to the dreariness of the English fans, who claimed that it should have been allowed, as fans get to cherish the event only once in four years. 

However, one has to agree that the hosts have to be respected and their decisions must be welcomed, irrespective of the opinion of the fans. Infantino claimed that France, Spain, and Scotland banned beer sales because they were more brilliant than them to have come up with the ban way earlier. 

We tried until the end: Gianni Infantino

Infantino further claimed that they tried till the end to see the possibility of allowing beer sales inside the stadium. Qatar will take on Ecuador in the campaign opener and it remains to be seen if the hosts can get off to a great start. 

“We tried until the end to see whether it was possible. If for 3 hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive. Maybe there is a reason why in France, in Spain, in Scotland, alcohol is banned in stadiums. Maybe they are more intelligent than us, having thought maybe we should be doing that,” Infantino said in the press conference. 

In other news, Lionel Messi, having announced that it will be his last World Cup, would look to sign off with the trophy to his name. Argentina, having won the tournament last in 1986, would look to make a comeback and turn things around this season and take the trophy home. La Albiceleste have won the trophy twice and they might as well win it for the third time this year, given the squad looks extremely strong.