Qatar has spent 12 years preparing for the World Cup, building stadiums, hotels, roads, sidewalks, and even a subway system.
Beer sales will be banned at the tournament's eight stadiums, much to the dismay of the one million fans expected to arrive soon.
The decision was an abrupt about-face by Qatar and the latest flash point in the ongoing culture clash
Inherent in hosting the tournament in a small, conservative Middle Eastern monarchy.
Since Qatar was awarded the World Cup more than a decade ago, local organisers and global soccer leaders have insisted that fans will have access to beer
A fixture at sporting events around the world but tightly controlled in Qatar. This altered two days before the first game.
Instead, officials in Qatar have decided to sell only non-alcoholic beverages to spectators at all upcoming games.
Thousands of World Cup supporters arrived in Doha before hearing the news. Seven Mexican fans were shocked to hear they couldn't drink at Qatari stadiums.