THE ‘SOBER ZONES’ EXPLAINER

A brief outline of the weirdest innovation at this World Cup

How exactly do you host one of the most traditionally boozed-up gatherings on Earth in a country where being drunk in public is a literal crime? Simple: you introduce ‘Sober Zones’. These vaguely dystopian-sounding areas will give fans appearing particularly ‘tired and emotional’ in Qatar the chance to recuperate in peace. According to Qatar’s World Cup chief, Nasser Al Khater, the zones will be places ‘to make sure [fans] keep themselves safe and they’re not harmful to anyone else’. Whether viewers will be privelege to any footage from these dry-out camps remains to be seen. We’re imagining something along the lines of the ‘chill-out room’ in a Nineties nightclub: beanbags, ambient vibes, lava lamp-esque projections. The reality will probably be significantly less enjoyable...