England WAGs to live on booze cruise ship at Qatar World Cup due to hotel's alcohol ban

Posted Saturday, March 12, 2022 by Dailystar.co.uk

Alcohol is barred from the hotel England are staying at in Qatar later this year - so the players' wives and girlfriends have already chosen to set up camp on a luxury cruise ship instead

England's WAGs will take a booze cruise during the World Cup finals in Qatar - as the footballers’ hotel is dry.

Alcohol is barred at the five-star Souq Al Wakra beach resort where Gareth Southgate’s squad will stay during the tournament which starts in November.

But their wives and girlfriends will nutmeg the Middle East state’s strict alcohol laws - by staying on a luxury cruise ship.

Several will be moored up in capital Doha’s port to help ease an accommodation shortage during the month-long showpiece.

As the vessels will be technically offshore Qatar’s, drink restrictions will not apply to them.

England WAGs to live on booze cruise ship at Qatar World Cup due to hotel's alcohol ban
England's WAGs will be aboard a ship while the players stay in a hotel in Qatar

Officials from world football's governing body Fifa reportedly offered players’ loved ones a range of accommodation for the finals - including onshore apartments and hotel suites.

But the WAGs chose the ship as the best option.

Sources said it offered a higher standard of accommodation, families can stay near each other and they will be free to toast England’s success with champagne.

The partners of England stars Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling are among those who have reportedly chosen to stay on the ship.

England WAGs to live on booze cruise ship at Qatar World Cup due to hotel's alcohol ban
England's WAGs supported the players on their journey to the Euro 2020 final last summer

Booze is not illegal in Qatar but drinking in public is a crime in the conservative majority-Muslim country.

Alcohol is sold mainly in licensed hotel bars and restaurants.

Rules around boozing are expected to be relaxed for visiting fans during the tournament with organisers trying to make alcohol easier to buy.

But the England team’s hotel - built in 2015 especially for the World Cup - only serves non-alcoholic drinks.

England WAGs to live on booze cruise ship at Qatar World Cup due to hotel's alcohol ban
England's WAGs will be able to drink on the ship

It is unlikely families would have been allowed to stay with players even if they wanted to.

WAGs’ behaviour has proved a distraction in the past - particularly at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Reports of drunk dancing on tables and vast hotel bills in the town of Baden-Baden emerged from the camp during that tournament in which England reached the quarter-finals.

Four years later then-England manager Fabio Capello banned partners from travelling to the World Cup in South Africa.

England WAGs to live on booze cruise ship at Qatar World Cup due to hotel's alcohol ban
The World Cup will be held in Qatar come November

Ex-England star Gary Neville, 47, now a TV football pundit, has predicted there was little danger of a repeat of such distracting behaviour at other tournaments.

"The FA learnt from the experience in 2006," he has said.

"The England team did. The England players did. That wasn't ideal for anybody.

"It was symptomatic of the times.

"It is a different world now and those mistakes won't happen again."