Qatar prohibits sale of alcohol in World Cup stadiums.

In a surprising turn of events, Qatari officials have decided that the only alcohol available to fans at stadiums during the month-long World Cup will be nonalcoholic.

A World Cup official familiar with the change in plans confirmed the decision on beer sales to the New York Times on Friday morning.

The official declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak with the press and because Qatar was still preparing its official announcement for Friday morning.

The move is the most recent and dramatic change to an evolving alcohol policy that has heightened tensions between Fifa, soccer’s global governing body, and Qatar, a conservative Muslim nation where alcohol sales are strictly regulated. However, it will complicate Fifa’s $75 million sponsorship agreement with Budweiser, enrage fans who are already frustrated by restrictions, and leave organizers scrambling to adjust – this time only 48 hours before the tournament’s opening game.

It also suggested that Fifa, which has faced years of scathing criticism for bringing its showpiece championship to Qatar, may no longer be in complete control of major decisions pertaining to its event. According to the organization’s official fan guide, “ticket holders will have access to Budweiser, Budweiser Zero, and Coca-Cola products within the stadium perimeter” for at least three hours before and one hour after games.

The prohibition on alcohol sales to fans at stadiums – beer will still be available in luxury suites reserved for Fifa officials and other wealthy guests – comes a week after an earlier order that dozens of red beer tents bearing Budweiser branding be relocated to more discrete locations at the World Cup’s eight stadiums, away from where the majority of the crowds attending games would pass.

Since the tiny Gulf nation was awarded World Cup hosting rights in 2010, Qatar has struggled with the issue of alcohol. Alcohol is available in the country, but sales are strictly regulated; even before the World Cup, most visitors were only permitted to purchase beer and other alcoholic beverages in upscale hotel bars at unusually high prices.

On Friday, World Cup organizers declined to comment on the new alcohol policy.

Budweiser representatives, who said last week that they were caught off guard by Qatar’s earlier changes to their World Cup sales strategy, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Last week, Qatari organizers attempted to downplay rising tensions over beer sales, a fixture of World Cups for generations, by claiming that operational plans were still being finalized and that changes to “the location of certain fan areas” were still being made. It also stated that “pouring times and the number of pouring destinations” remained consistent across all eight stadiums.

Budweiser, which pays Fifa $75 million for each four-year World Cup cycle, had previously stated that it was working with organizers “to relocate the concession outlets to the locations as directed.”

According to the latest plan, the brewer’s red tents may no longer be visible around stadiums; unbranded white replacements are being considered. Refrigerators in the company’s iconic red will most likely be replaced by blue refrigerators, the color associated with Budweiser’s nonalcoholic brand, Budweiser Zero.