Budweiser “remains a presence” at the World Cup, albeit in a “watered-down way,” according to Sarah Lyall of the N.Y. TIMES. While the stadiums have been “scrubbed of regular beer,” they are “awash in stacks of alcohol-free Budweiser Zero.” Ads for the drink “play on a loop on stadium screens," and "refrigerators full of it sit within arm’s reach at concession stands, right next to the Coca-Cola.” Sponsorship consultant Ricardo Fort said that Qatar's 11th-hour alcohol prohibitions were "'weird and embarrassing' -- for Qatar, not Budweiser." He added that the ruling came after Budweiser had “gone through the logistical hassle and considerable expense of transporting its beer to Qatar, storing it and assembling the sales infrastructure.” Fort: “There is a lot of work that needs to happen to be able to sell beverages. This country doesn’t manufacture or bottle beer locally.” Fort estimated that Budweiser spent $5M on “operations in Qatar over the last couple of years.” Lyall noted beer sales at the tournament were “just a tiny portion of what Budweiser expected to get out of its sponsorship deal,” which includes “lavish advertising; entertainment in Doha and fan festivals; and promotions" in some 70 countries. Qatar is “not a beer-free zone: Fans can drink it at set times in government-approved 'fan zones' away from the game and in hotel bars, and select visitors have been granted permits to buy it at a single, isolated retail location.” Fort believes that Qatar’s decision was a “result of inattention, not premeditation.” But many fans were "convinced the beer’s removal had been the idea all along" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/11).
Budweiser's World Cup activation plans extended far beyond selling its beverages at venues in QatarGetty Images
