"Flask sales WAY UP": Internet in splits as Saudi Arabian Ambassador says 2034 World Cup will be alcohol-free

Fans traveling to the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, listen up - your celebratory plans may have to be tweaked. The hosting nation has now confirmed that its traditional alcohol ban will not be overturned, so your typical post-match pints will have to be replaced with something a bit more… refreshing.

While a few fans are reconsidering their travel plans, others are already thinking up some innovative new ways to support their teams - maybe with some over-the-top coffee toasts or some elevated fruit juice combinations.

Either way, one thing's certain: the atmosphere inside the stadiums will have to be generated entirely from the football… and possibly some additional espressos (maybe).

Khalid bin Bandar said to British radio station LBC on Wednesday:

"Plenty of fun can be had without alcohol - it's not 100 percent necessary and if you want to drink after you leave, you're welcome to, but at the moment we don't have alcohol... Rather like our weather, it's a dry country. 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."

As soon as the news came out one user (@MetaRidesInc) took to their X account and commented:

"Flask sales WAY UP"

For if there's anything football fans are famous for - apart from arguing offside penalties - it's their readiness to improvise.

While stadium security may be keeping a lookout for suspiciously heavy water bottles, others are already forecasting a boom in creatively named "special" iced tea.

With the wine officially out of the question, some supporters may find themselves enjoying a very different World Cup vibe - one where post-match arguments are ignited by sparkling water rather than Sauvignon Blanc.

Sommeliers will have to sit this one out, but at least juice bars could be in for record-breaking sales. Who knows? By the end of it, we might be seeing football supporters enthusiastically debating the "bold notes" of pomegranate juice rather than Bordeaux.

As expected, football supporters had plenty to say about the news - because if anything is as important to people as the World Cup, it's their matchday rituals. Some shrugged it off, looking forward to a tournament fueled entirely by adrenaline and electrolytes, and others were already lamenting the demise of their halftime pint.

Let's take a look at the fan reactions:

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Netizens react as the Saudi Arabian Ambassador says the 2034 World Cup will be alcohol-free

A user (@MetaRidesInc) sarcastically commented:

"Opportunity lost"

Another one (@Sp1p8) commented:

"He can’t live without oil free"

If there's no alcohol there's no point in attending the World Cup as a netizen expressed:

"Then I’m not going."

A user (@El_Bobosaurus) commented:

"Bruhhh don’t punish the world"

A user (@Gonzz82898) wrote:

"Beer and Futbol go hand and hand!!!"

Someone (@PunkConservativ) hilariously commented:

"That’s not cool. The only way a 0-0 game after 90 minutes is fun, if if you black out and don’t remember it."

Love it or loathe it, the 2034 FIFA World Cup will be a competition unlike any other - one in which the only drinks being poured will be water and perhaps some energy drinks for an extra-special, high-octane penalty shootout. A few fans may have to rein in their typical matchday habits, but here's one thing that's a sure bet: the love for football will never be absent.

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