Saudi Arabia To Lift Decades-Old Alcohol Ban Ahead Of 2034 FIFA World Cup

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Last Updated:May 26, 2025, 16:21 IST

The income of wine, beer, and cider volition beryllium constricted to 600 licensed locations crossed the country, including five-star hotels, luxury resorts, and expat-friendly compounds.

Permitted locations volition beryllium capable to service wine, brew and cider. (File)

In a historical move, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is readying to assistance 73-year-old prohibition and let the controlled merchantability and depletion of intoxicant successful 2026. The alteration is portion of the country’s preparations for hosting planetary events, including the Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034.

Saudi authorities judge allowing intoxicant astatine definite tourer sites would assistance the state vie with the UAE and Bahrain, wherever intoxicant is allowed astatine immoderate tourer hotspots.

As per the media reports, the income of wine, beer, and cider volition beryllium constricted to 600 licensed locations crossed the country, including five-star hotels, luxury resorts, and expat-friendly compounds similar Neom, Sindalah Island, and the Red Sea Project.

What Drinks Would Be Allowed?

Permitted locations volition beryllium capable to service wine, brew and cider. However, this allowance does not widen to stronger alcoholic drinks, specified arsenic spirits. Drinks and liquor with much than 20% intoxicant contented volition stay banned, according to a study by the UK-based Metro, which quoted section Saudi media.

The authorities volition not let intoxicant successful homes, shops oregon nationalist places. Personal intoxicant accumulation volition besides stay banned.

Additionally, lone licensed venues and trained unit volition beryllium allowed to service alcohol. The merchantability of intoxicant volition travel fixed procedures, the reports said.

Decision Will End 73-Year-Old Ban

The intoxicant argumentation is portion of Vision 2030. The determination volition successful effect bring to an extremity Saudi Arabia’s 73-year prohibition connected the merchantability and depletion of alcohol.

The Kingdom aims to grow tourism, amusement and hospitality with its more-inclusive nationalist plan. Officials judge the alteration volition assistance make jobs and bring successful overseas investment.

As per the reports, Saudi Arabia was founded successful 1932 nether Abdulaziz Al Saud with a ineligible strategy based connected Wahhabi Islam. It followed Sharia instrumentality and intoxicant was ever forbidden, but the existent enforcement and ineligible prohibition connected intoxicant was enforced successful 1952.

Saudi Arabia, erstwhile an ultra-conservative country, is giving up its accepted representation and ushering successful a caller epoch of openness and modernity nether the enactment of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The state has eased immoderate limitations connected women’s rights, allowing them to drive, spell to diversion events and concerts with men. In 2018, it abolished a prohibition connected cinema and screened ‘Black Panther’, which marked the historical instrumentality of movie to the kingdom.

Location :

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

First Published:

News world Saudi Arabia To Lift Decades-Old Alcohol Ban Ahead Of 2034 FIFA World Cup