The expression is supposed to be “hold my beer.” But at the 2034 FIFA World Cup, it’ll be “hold the beer.”

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the U.K., Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud, confirmed Wednesday that fans will not be allowed to drink alcohol during the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

He wasn’t just referring to stadiums—he was talking about within the whole country, where alcohol consumption is strictly forbidden. 

“Everyone has their own culture,” he told UK news site LBC. “We’re happy to accommodate people within the boundaries of our culture but we don’t want to change our culture for someone else.”

There are parallels to the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar, another predominantly Muslim nation. While that country, which regularly caters to Western travelers, doesn’t have a blanket ban on alcohol, it does have strict rules about when and where it can be sold. 

Mere days before the World Cup, Qatar said beer wouldn’t be available inside stadiums and that fans would only be able to drink in fan zones and hotels. The move embarrassed FIFA, which counts Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev as a major sponsor and which had all but promised fans they would be able to imbibe during the matches.

Saudi Arabia is telephoning its intentions much further in advance, which could put some fans off coming altogether. Beer lovers won’t be the only ones. Considering that homosexual acts are punishable by death, gay fans have also questioned whether they will be welcome.

“It is not a Saudi event, it is a world event,” said Al Saud in reference to LGBTQ attendees. “And to a large extent, we will welcome everyone who wants to come.” 

While a lot can change in the nine years before the event kicks off, Saudi Arabia has little incentive to soften its stance and work with FIFA. Because it was the lone country to bid for the 2034 World Cup, no one else is waiting in the wings.

Nonetheless, the ambassador’s language left drinkers a little hope the country could still change its mind: “At the moment,” he said, “we don’t allow alcohol.”

Torrey Pines Golf Course in Southern California is set to host its second PGA Tour event in four weeks, as Los Angeles continues to recover from deadly wildfires.

After hosting its annual tournament, the Farmers Insurance Open held Jan. 22–25, Torrey Pines is subbing in as the replacement venue for the Genesis Invitational, which was moved out of its longtime home, Riviera Country Club. While the course itself was not damaged by the fires, neighborhoods around it were severely impacted. 

Torrey Pines is roughly 120 miles south of Los Angeles in La Jolla, Calif. It’s famous in its own right, as the site of several previous major championships, including the 2008 U.S. Open where Tiger Woods won in a playoff while playing on a broken leg.

Genesis, the luxury car brand owned by Hyundai, is making an $8 million contribution to wildfire relief efforts, largely through the donation of 100 tournament vehicles collectively valued at $7.5 million.

Same Course, Bigger Stakes

While the golf at Torrey Pines will look largely like it did last month, this week’s tournament is offering more than double the prize money.

The Genesis Invitational is the third of the PGA Tour’s eight signature events this season, with a $20 million purse and $4 million winner’s check. Last month, Harris English took home $1.67 million for winning the Farmers Insurance Open, which had a $9.3 million purse. 

The Tiger Effect

Tiger Woods, who has hosted the Genesis Invitational since 2020 via his TGR Live event company, was set to make his 2025 PGA Tour debut this week but withdrew Monday, citing the passing of his mother, Kultida Woods, who died Feb. 4. 

“I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready,” Woods wrote on social media. “I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my Mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.”

Woods, who won the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, said he hopes to attend the tournament later in the week. The 15-time major champion had back surgery in September, but in January was able to compete in two matches in his new indoor golf league, TGL.