Beer 'have to be put up for sale' at Brazil World Cup, Fifa says

Beer must be put up for sale at all spots congregating matches in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, football's world governing body, Fifa, has insisted.

Jerome Valcke, Fifa General Secretary said the right to sell beer must be protected in a World Cup law the Brazilian Congress is taking into account.

Alcoholic drinks are presently prohibited at Brazilian stadiums and the country's health minister has insisted on Congress to keep up the ban in the new regulation.

Brewer Budweiser is a strong Fifa supporter.

Mr. Valcke is going to Brazil pressing for step forward on the much-postponed World Cup law.

Fifa has become annoyed, because voting on the rule has been held up in Congress by the clash over alcohol sales.

The Brazilian government has also not succeeded to solve divergences with Fifa over cut-price tickets for students and senior citizens, and insisted for subsidizers of the World Cup to have their trademarks protected.

In explanation to news reporters in Rio de Janeiro, Mr Valcke sounded annoyed with Brazilian authorities. "Alcoholic drinks are ingredient of the Fifa World Cup, so we're going to have them. Forgive me if I sound a bit arrogant but that's something we won't discuss," he said.

"The reality that we have the right to sell beer has to be an element of the rule."

Alcohol was prohibited at Brazilian football matches in 2003 in an effort to handle violence between opponent football fans.

Health Minister Alexandre Padilha and other members of Congress have requested for the forbid to be maintained.

Mr. Valcke said discussions with Brazil over explanations of the World Cup had been sluggish.

"We lost much of time and we were unable to negotiate with people in charge that are keen to make a decision," he said, counting that it was the first time a country was still in discussions five years after winning the right to host the event.

During his tour to Brazil Mr Valcke has been visiting the stadiums in 12 cities where the 2014 World Cup will be played.

He condemned the pace of construction and said Brazil had not yet advanced its infrastructure to the stage required to greeting visitors.