Brazil President Signs Off on Allowing Alcohol for 2014 World Cup

Brazil president Dilma Rousseff has signed the document that will temporarily allow alcohol to be drunk at the 2014 World Cup.

 

World football’s ruling body FIFA had requested a change in the law following an agreement it signed with a major brewery.

 

The temporary amendment will also be applied to the Confederations Cup, to be held in 2013. It was finally published Wednesday following a long battle with members of parliament and of the Senate, who had approved the text on May 9.

The amendment includes a stipulation that will also be welcomed by students, the elderly and those less well-off.

 

After FIFA spent many months lobbying Brazil to soften its stance on beer in stadiums, Brazil secured from FIFA guarantees that it could sell a minimum number of match tickets at half-price to students, people aged over 60 and those who normally receive government hand-outs.

 

FIFA is set to put 300,000 tickets aside for Brazil to sell them on at half their face value.