FIFA World Cup 2022: From unmarried couples to alcohol, here's what's banned in Qatar

Fans visiting Qatar during this year's FIFA World Cup will have to keep in mind many a regulation, with the Arab nation's strict policies against alcohol and other activities it deems illegal.

With the FIFA World Cup being hosted in a Muslim country for the first time, fans are expected to comply with the restrictions that come with the land. One such regulation is the ban on alcohol in stadiums, a move that came as a last-minute surprise to both fans and tournament sponsor Budweiser.

Inside stadiums, fans are not allowed to wear clothing that exposes their bodies. Taking off one's top inside the stadium during a celebration might get fans in a legal wrangle. The same is true if you're topless on the street in the presence of families. Fans are also not authorized to carry political or insulting banners.


The Qatari government also has a strict homosexuality prohibition and may punish offenders with jail time and monetary penalties. Unmarried couples are not permitted to engage in sexual behavior in the country. According to the authorities, such fan couples would be permitted to share hotel rooms.

Fights in Qatar may also land fans in hot water, with fines of up to 10,000 Riyals and imprisonment. Swearing is illegal in Qatar and can result in a fine, jail time, or deportation.

Non-compliance with public hygiene, which includes spitting, urinating, or pooping in public, is punished by incarceration and a fine of up to 10,000 Riyals.

Photographing people without permission or locations, such as building constructions and religious and military facilities, is forbidden in Qatar.