The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be alcohol free after the Gulf Arab state announced that there will be no alcohol sold inside the stadium, according to a report from Reuters.

It is reported that beer sales will only be allowed outside arenas before and after some matches in the main FIFA fan zone in Doha.

"At stadiums, the plans are still being finalised, but the current discussion is to allow fans to have beer upon arrival and when leaving stadium, but beer won't be served during the match or inside the stadium bowl," the source told Reuters

Fans flying into Qatar are prohibited from buying airport duty-free alcohol and bringing it through customs.

Alcohol will also reportedly be for sale to fans in a corner of the Doha Golf Club, which is a number of kilometers away from the World Cup stadiums and main fan zone.

Unlike Saudi Arabia, where alcohol consumption is severely restricted and drinking in public is considered illegal or treated as a serious crime, fans will however be allowed to buy their favorite beers during restricted times and at certain venues in Doha. 

"Unlike previous World Cup fan zones, beer won't be served all day long, but at restricted times," the source added.

FIFA had reportedly been lobbying to allow in-stadium drinking, much like it did with Brazil despite a history of alcohol-fueled poor fan behavior, but was apparently unsuccessful.

It's not the first concession FIFA has had to make to hold the event in Qatar, as the event would probably be underway right now had it been awarded to any other country that bid for the 2022 event. 

The tournament was delayed to the winter to mitigate the infamous Qatari heat.

The 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar is expected to be watched by 5 billion people around the world.

The TV audiences for the 2018 World Cup in Russia was a record-breaking 3.5 billion people