A Saudi official on Monday denied media reports that the kingdom plans to lift its long-standing ban on alcohol, calling the claims “unfounded.”
The rumor, which originated from a wine blog last week and was picked up by some international outlets, alleged that Saudi Arabia would permit alcohol sales in tourist settings as it prepares to host the 2034 soccer World Cup. However, the report did not cite any sources.
While Saudi Arabia has recently loosened some restrictions to attract foreign visitors and diversify its economy away from oil dependence, alcoholic beverages remain strictly prohibited for Muslims.
The report sparked widespread online debate in the kingdom, where the king also holds the title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques—Islam’s most revered sites in Mecca and Medina.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has implemented a series of social reforms, including allowing women to drive, easing gender segregation rules, and reducing the influence of the religious police. Yet alcohol sales remain banned across the country, apart from a single store in Riyadh that opened last year to serve exclusively non-Muslim diplomats.
Alcohol in Saudi Arabia is otherwise accessible only through diplomatic channels or on the black market. Alongside neighboring Kuwait, Saudi Arabia is the only Gulf nation to prohibit alcohol sales entirely.