Saudi official denies reports alcohol ban will be lifted

A Saudi official denied media reports saying the kingdom, the birthplace of Islam, would lift its 73-year-old ban on alcohol, which is prohibited for Muslims.

The report, which was picked up by some international media after it appeared on a wine blog last week, said Saudi authorities planned to allow alcohol sales in tourist settings as the country prepares to host the 2034 soccer World Cup. It did not give a source for the information.

The report about alcohol rules sparked a vigorous online debate in the kingdom, whose king also holds the title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques – Islam’s most revered places in Mecca and Medina.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the only Gulf countries that prohibit the sale of alcohol.
A minor move to allow alcoholic drinks to be consumed in the kingdom was the opening of the first alcohol store in the capital, Riyadh, last year serving exclusively non-Muslim diplomats.
Prior to that, alcohol was available only through diplomatic mail or on the black market.