England fans travelling to the 2022 Qatar World Cup will already be forking out massive sums to stay in the Middle East, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that they’ll also be paying a fortune to drink in the predominantly dry country.
£12 a pint, to be specific.
That’s right, as if paying north of five or six quid for a beer at most pubs in, say, Manchester wasn’t painful enough, anyone travelling to Qatar 2022 will have to settle for £12 pints according to reports.
As detailed in lengthy investigations carried out by the likes of the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), whose Embassy teams recently travelled to the Gulf nation ahead of the tournament, the drinking culture will not be like that of previous host nations.
ALCOHOL (PRICING)
£12-15 per beer with some happy hour reductions (5pm to 7pm-ish) where you’ll pay approx £7. Hotels told us multi-drink/meal offers may be introduced to lower costs. There’s ONE “off-licence” in Qatar but it’s strictly licenced and only available to residents.
As you can see, given that Qatar is fairly stringent when it comes to alcohol, the beer will not be flowing as freely as it would in most other football stadiums around the world — certainly not at £12 a pint anyway.
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Not only are there strict rules regarding alcohol on the streets but it also understood that fans will also only be able to drink in authorised hotels and “two specific fan zones and external concourses” at the stadiums.
Moreover, anyone found breaching restrictions will face either being “sent home and/or arrested”; the same goes for the so-called ‘off-license’ facilities, which are strictly for residents only.
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While happy hour prices might afford you some leeway (still around £7 a pint, mind), only FIFA-sponsor products like Budweiser will be available and you have strict windows between which you can drink. It will also cost you £75 just to get in the place.
FAN ZONES
Al Bidda Park fan zone has alcohol licence but only 6.30pm-1am, 40k capacity. Giant screens & family friendly. Opens early if game on.
Arcadia has DJs & open 10am-5am serving alcohol but ticketed. £75+ per day, 15k.
Safe to say that even for regular travelling international fans, with all the travel and accommodation costs people will be incurred on top of food and drink, this is going to be a particularly expensive World Cup.
Meanwhile, certain individuals supplying beer back home may have proclaimed to take a stance against the repressive regime over in Qatar, but they seemingly have no problem still showing the games.
As expected, the lengthy FSA thread also goes on to warn “do not even think about taking drugs” as the use or possession of even residual amounts will result in swift and lengthy sentences.
The report also touched on issues around accommodation with many rooms still under construction just four days out from the tournament and the standard of which are already being called into question. It’s giving us Fyre Festival vibes.
There are bound to be problems surrounding fan conduct and numerous protests regarding Qatar’s abuse of migrant workers, laws surrounding freedom of expression and treatment of the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the tournament.
Gary Lineker set to leave BBC this week following more controversy
Danny Jones
Former footballer and veteran presenter Gary Lineker is set to leave the BBC earlier than expected following further political controversies and social media backlash.
Lineker has been butting heads with the presenter for a couple of years now, being suspended by the national corporation back in March 2023 for his comments about language used by the Conservative government, and has continued to take issue with certain aspects of their news coverage.
He has since gone on to share a further video expressing his regret over what he called an “honest mistake”, as well as confirming that he will be making a premature exit from the BBC.
As you can see in the clip above, he says: “I apologise unreservedly for the hurt and upset caused,” insisting that he didn’t see the emoji in question
Lineker is now expected to leave following his final Match of the Day programme this weekend after having already confirmed he would be leaving the role after 26 years at the end of the season.
The ex-English footballer was set to present the 2026 FIFA World Cup next summer, but given the latest furore, he will be stepping away ahead of schedule.
Having gradually wound down his work with networks like TNT Sports (previously BT Sport) and the BBC in recent years, he has been slowly shifting his focus to his own Goalhanger Podcasts company, which includes several popular audio formats under The Rest Is… brand, including his own flagship The Rest Is Football show.
He goes on to add that he’s “stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues and against all forms of racism all my life.” Since the most recent Israel-Palestine conflicts began, he’s been particularly outspoken on the events. One recent interview with the BBC itself sparked plenty of discussion online.
Gary Lineker, "What's going on there (Gaza), the mass murder of thousands of children is something we should have an opinion on"
Amol Rajan, "The BBC needs to be impartial about it"
Lineker reiterated that he would never “knowingly share anything antisemitic” and removed the problematic post as soon as he was made aware.
Nevertheless, the BBC and director general Tim Davie have been facing pressure to address the situation ever since it happened, with many calling for the household name to be sacked.
It seems the ex-Everton, Leicester, Spurs and Barcelona player has made the decision for them.
As he goes on to conclude, despite expressing gratitude regarding his relationship with the BBC, he feels the “time is right […’ to go our separate ways.”
“Wildfires can spread quickly and cause devastation to the land and wildlife on it,” explained GMFRS’s wildfire lead and national tactical adviser for wildfires, Ady Taylor, “so it’s vitally important that people call 999 as soon as they think they see a fire.”
He continued: “We want people to enjoy the countryside and moorland we have in Greater Manchester, but… [we] remind people to always act responsibly while out enjoying these environments.
“This means no BBQs, fires or fireworks – as they can easily result in wildfires.”
On Wednesday 14 May 2025, a teenage boy was arrested on suspicion of arson and interviewed by police in relation to the incident, and then the following day on Thursday 15 May 2025, another two boys were also arrested – with each of the three having now been released on bail pending further enquiries while investigations are ongoing.
Three teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a large moorland fire in Bury / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Detective Inspector Andy Wright, from GMP’s Bury district, added: “The moorland fire is being investigated as arson following information from a witness and enquiries we have made.
“We have managed to apprehend three teenagers in relation to this incident, all of them have been bailed following interviews with our officers.”
GMP and GMFRS is reminding Greater Manchester residents that if they see a fire in the countryside, they need to report it immediately, leave the area as soon as possible, and dial 999, and if you witness illegal activity in relation to the fire, then you can report it to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
“Fires can have such a devastating effect, and we are lucky that this has not caused a significant amount of damage, or cost lives,” Detective Inspector Andy Wright concluded.
Danny Jones -
16th November 2022 
