DOHA, Qatar — Beer is out at the World Cup.
In an abrupt and stunning about-face, Qatari officials have decided that the only alcohol that will be on sale to fans at stadiums during the monthlong World Cup that begins on Sunday will be nonalcoholic.
The decision on beer sales was confirmed on Friday morning by a World Cup official familiar with the change in plans. The official asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak with the news media, and because Qatar was still preparing its official announcement on Friday morning.
The move is the latest and most dramatic change to an evolving alcohol plan that has for months increased tensions between FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, and Qatar, a conservative Muslim nation where the sale of alcohol is tightly controlled.