Football supporters who have had a little too much to drink during the upcoming FIFA World Cup held in Qatar will encounter a unique experience.
Per Sky News (h/t ESPN and Omar Garrick of The Athletic), Qatar’s World Cup chief Nasser Al Khater confirmed on Thursday that the tournament will have special zones available to allow drunken fans to sober up.
“There are plans in place for people to sober up if they’ve been drinking excessively,” Al Khater explained. “It’s a place to make sure that they keep themselves safe, they’re not harmful to anybody else.”
In the Muslim nation, public consumption of alcoholic beverages is restricted, but it is permitting the sales of alcohol in fan zones and outside stadiums during world football’s biggest party that runs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18. ESPN added fans who land in a “sobering tent” will be required to remain there until they’re deemed “sufficiently clearheaded.” Such individuals will also receive a warning.
“Alcohol is available in Qatar,” Al Khater said during his comments. “It’s more limited than maybe other countries in the world, whether it’s in Europe or the U.S. or other countries in the East, but it will be more available in designated zones in Qatar.”
The so-called “sober zones” are said to be alternatives to arrests and even jail sentences.
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