Football’s coming home... and so am I!
THE cheapest beer in the world, according to comparison website Finder.com, can be quaffed at 59p a pint in Burundi, a land-locked country on the banks of Lake Tanganyika in Africa. Which is a long way to go for a bargain booze up.
Best prices in the UK are to be found in Perth, Scotland (£3.07p) and Swansea in Wales (£3.26).
A recent survey found the average price in Huddersfield was £3.64, which is a sight cheaper than London prices where a pint is £4.83.
The survey was prompted by the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, which I always find myself saying in the manner of Peter Kay’s disbelief about garlic bread.
World Cup? Qatar?
Alcohol is frowned upon in this Islamic country and is usually only available in hotels where the average price for a pint is £9 98.
“Here’s a tenner and keep the change.”
Up to 1.2 million visitors are expected to flock to Qatar for the four-week major sporting event, which could make it rather crowded, as it only has a population of 2.8 million.
This could be why fans are wondering if they can afford to go. One Airbnb apartment has been reported to cost £60,000 a month, a two-person room on a cruise ship, docked in the bay at Doha, is priced at £3,000 for six nights, and a fourbedroomed villa is available for £20,000 a night.
It is believed there are plans to equip a nearby beach with luxury camping facilities.
Kick-off is November 21 and the contest ends on December 18. The brand new stadiums are open to the elements but are said to incorporate air conditioning. BBC weather experts say: “The average high temperature in Doha in November is 29C (84 Fahrenheit) falling to 24C (75 F) in December. Again, as an average that means some days are hotter than this and temperatures in November have been known to reach as high as 38C (100 F).
“Rain in Qatar is more likely in winter than summer and, although this is unlikely to be significant, there is the ever-present threat of sand storms.”
All that and a tenner a pint. Serious boozers might consider flying to Burundi instead: £545 for a 19-hour flight with two stops, and watching it in a bar in the sunshine.
Up to 1.2million visitors are expected to visit Qatar for the World Cup, which could make it rather crowded
Sensible sports fans will watch it at home with the heating turned up, or in the pub with beer at £3.64 a pint, rather than risk sandstorms, outrageous expenses and political problems.