DOHA, Qatar—FIFA promised Wednesday to stage free concerts with international stars for visitors to the official Fan Festival in Qatar during the World Cup.
FIFA said the Al Bidda Park in central Doha will host “concerts starring top global and local music acts and live works by internationally acclaimed performance artists” during the 29 days of World Cup games. The tournament starts on November 20.
The festival site next to the Corniche waterfront and close to the West Bay neighborhood will be the official viewing area for fans to watch the 64 games on giant screens. A policy on alcohol consumption was confirmed Saturday that will allow sponsor Budweiser to serve beer after 6:30 p.m.
FIFA said it also plans to hold soccer games at the venue featuring former World Cup stars who are part of its Legends program.
More than 1 million visitors are expected at the first World Cup hosted in the Middle East.
FIFA said official fan festivals are also planned in other cities worldwide during the tournament.
No music acts have yet been confirmed for the Doha venue.
Since the 2006 World Cup in Germany, FIFA has run fan zone viewing areas with local organizers in host nations. The first edition included a pre-tournament show in Berlin featuring Nelly Furtado and Simple Minds.
At the 2012 European Championship co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, Elton John gave a free concert at the official Kyiv fan zone one day before the final. The concert was also an AIDS charity benefit.
Organizers in Qatar earlier finalized a policy to serve beer with alcohol to soccer fans at stadiums and fan zones in the Muslim-majority country.
FIFA said Saturday fans will be allowed to buy Budweiser beer with alcohol within the eight stadium compounds—though not at concourse concession stands—before and after games, and during evenings only at the official “Fan Festival.” That is being held in a downtown Doha park.
Game tickets promising access to Champagnes, wine, liquor and beer for hospitality clients at Qatari stadiums have been on sale since February 2021 as part of corporate packages offering “premium beverages.”
The beer policy affecting most fans was announced just 11 weeks before the first game and finally fulfills an expectation since Qatar campaigned 12 years ago to be the first World Cup host in the Middle East.
Budweiser has been the exclusive World Cup beer brand since 1986 and parent company AB InBev renewed its deal through 2022 with FIFA in a 2011 signing after Qatar was confirmed as host.
Image credits: AP
