JEROME VALCKE, THE general secretary of FIFA, has said that football fans must be allowed to drink beer at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Valcke is in Brazil this week, where legislators are currently working to pass legislation which will facilitate the staging of the tournament.
Under the country’s current laws, alcohol cannot be sold in football stadiums, a measure introduced in 2003 to tackle rising levels of violence at matches.
Speaking at a press conference today, Valcke reminded tournament organisers that the right to sell alcohol is non-negotiable and insisted that they make an exception for 2014.
“Alcoholic drinks are part of the FIFA World Cup, so we’re going to have them. Excuse me if I sound a bit arrogant but that’s something we won’t negotiate,” Valcke said (see HuffPo UK).
The fact that we have the right to sell beer has to be a part of the law.
Beer giant Budweiser has been an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup since 1986, when the tournament was held in Mexico.
