No alcohol at all will be allowed at 2034 World Cup, Saudi ambassador tells LBC

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Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud told LBC that "there's no alcohol at all" in Saudi Arabia and there would not be an exception when they host the World Cup.

It will not be allowed in hotels, restaurants or stadiums, he confirmed.

It comes despite alcohol being allowed in certain areas and restaurants during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

"At the moment, we don't allow alcohol," Mr al Saud said.

"Plenty of fun can be had without alcohol - it's not 100 per cent necessary and if you want to drink after you leave, you're welcome to, but at the moment we don't have alcohol."

He added: "Rather like our weather, it's a dry country."

Asked if that was a welcoming approach, he said: "Everyone has their own culture. We're happy to accommodate people within the boundaries of our culture but we don't want to change our culture for someone else."

"I mean, really? You can't live without a drink?" the ambassador jokingly added.

Saudi Arabia was formally confirmed as the host of the 2034 World Cup in December, despite a slew of human rights concerns.

Questioned over whether gay football fans would be able to safely attend in 2034, Mr al Saud said: "We will welcome everyone in Saudi."

He continued: "It is not a Saudi event, it is a world event. And to a large extent, we will welcome everyone who wants to come."

Hammad Albalawi, head of Saudi Arabia's bid, previously dismissed criticism from human rights groups.

"We have come a long way and there's still a long way to go," he said. "Our principle is to develop something that is right for us.

"Our journey started in 2016, not because of the World Cup bid.

"We've launched initiatives granting employees the freedom to move between employers.

"Documents of these employees are now uploaded into government systems, ensuring they have rights within their contracts."

The World Cup is expected to take place in autumn or winter due to temperatures reaching over 50C in summer, Mr al Saud said on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia is also set to host football's 2027 Asian Cup, the 2029 Asian Winter Games and the 2034 Asian Games.