Alcohol sales are heavily restricted in Oman and Qatar and are outright banned in Kuwait, and in Sharjah, one of the UAE's seven emirates and a neighbour to cosmopolitan Dubai.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Saturday that World Cup fans can survive for three hours a day without beer after sales were banned around stadiums.

When Ramadan starts, Imran Tahir will begin juggling the demands of observing his Muslim faith and playing a full day of international cricket for a team sponsored by a beer company.

Saudi custom officials and law enforcing personnel stopped a smuggler who tried to bring nearly 48,000 cans of beer disguised as Pepsi cans into Saudi Arabia.