Every four years, the world stops for a month of beautiful football. The 23rd edition of the global tournament marks an incredible milestone for the sport. But while the action on the pitch draws billions of eyes, the action in the stands and pubs is fueled by a completely different kind of passion: global drink culture.
The relationship between the World Cup and alcohol is a wild ride of shifting traditions, dramatic host-country culture clashes, and legendary fan invasions. Pour yourself something cold as we take a look at how match-day drinking has evolved, with a special nod to the deep football and beverage traditions of powerhouse giants like Spain and Argentina.
A Quick Kick-Off: The Origins
To understand how we got here, we have to look back to 1930, when Uruguay hosted that monumental first FIFA World Cup. Back then, there were no multi-billion-dollar beverage sponsorships. The tournament featured just 13 teams, and fans watched the matches while sipping on local South American staples like Clerico (a refreshing white wine-and-fruit punch popularized across Argentina and Uruguay) or shots of grape-based grappa.
Grappa—a fragrant Italian brandy distilled from the skins, seeds, and stems left over from winemaking—quickly became a staple across the Rio de la Plata region due to a massive wave of European immigration. Today, we carry top-tier bottles like Sibona Grappa, Moletto Grappa di Barbera, and Nonino Vigneti Chardonnay Grappa right here at Bow Street Beverage to keep that old-school 1930s spirit alive.
For the first few decades, drinking at the World Cup was purely regional. It wasn’t until the tournament became a televised global juggernaut in the late 20th century that beer officially crowned itself the undisputed king of soccer culture.
The Evolution of the World Cup Drink Sponsor
Today, the marriage between football and alcohol feels completely natural, but it wasn’t always a corporate powerhouse. In the early days of the tournament, FIFA didn’t have official global beverage partners. Local host countries simply managed the refreshments.
That all changed in 1986 during the World Cup in Mexico, when Anheuser-Busch signed on as the tournament’s first official beer sponsor. They pushed Budweiser onto the global stage, birthing a multi-decade monopoly.
Since then, the corporate strategy has shifted dramatically:
The 1990s–2010s (The Mega-Lager Era): Big Beer ruled with an iron fist. Sponsorship contracts required host nations to grant exclusive pouring rights inside stadium perimeters, which is what led directly to the Brazilian “Budweiser Bill” in 2014.
The Modern Multi-Category Boom: The sponsorship landscape has completely shattered its beer-only mold. Major tournaments now feature official Spirits Partners, reflecting how the modern fan’s palate has evolved toward high-end spirits, global wines, and canned ready-to-drink cocktails right alongside standard light lagers.
Stadium Suds and Culture Clashes
As the tournament grew, corporate sponsorships began to clash with local laws, leading to major historical turning points:
The “Budweiser Bill” (Brazil, 2014)
Prior to 2012, Brazil banned alcohol sales in football stadiums to curb fan violence. But when FIFA came to town for the 2014 World Cup, they protected their massive sponsorship deal with Budweiser by demanding the ban be lifted. The pressure resulted in the infamous “Budweiser Bill,” wherein the Brazilian government officially suspended its own federal law just so fans could buy beer during the matches.
The Dry Stadiums of Qatar (2022)
In a complete reversal of 2014, the 2022 World Cup saw one of the most abrupt policy shifts in tournament history. Just 48 hours before the opening match, officials issued a total ban on alcohol sales within the stadium perimeters, forcing sponsors to pivot entirely to non-alcoholic options inside the gates and relegating drinking to specific fan zones.
Legendary Tales of the “War on Thirst”
The history of the World Cup is littered with hilarious, jaw-dropping stories of traveling fanbases completely overwhelming the local infrastructure with their sheer thirst.
Moscow Runs Dry (2018)
During the 2018 tournament in Russia, visiting fans achieved the seemingly impossible: they drank Moscow completely out of beer. Moscow was well-stocked with vodka, but bars drastically underestimated how much beer football fans could consume. Within the first week of the group stage, several bars reported running entirely out of draft and bottled beer, forcing suppliers to make emergency midnight runs while fans chanted in the streets.
The Great Boston Beer Crisis
History has a habit of repeating itself in spectacular fashion. When Scotland’s famous “Tartan Army” descended on Boston for their tournament appearance, they nearly drained the entire city. Pubs across Boston scrambled for emergency truck deliveries after the Scots drank four times more local lager over four days than the city usually sells during a massive holiday weekend like the Fourth of July! Managers reported going through nearly 100 kegs of stout and imported ales in mere days, with local breweries having to dispatch emergency fleets just to keep the taps flowing.
Australia vs. Vancouver
It wasn’t just the Scots causing a logistical panic. Across the border in Vancouver, Australian fans painted the town green and gold. Aussie fans explicitly told a multi-level sports bar manager on Granville Street, “We’re going to drink you dry before we leave”—and they nearly did. The bar manager had to send a DJ in a personal van to a local brewery to hack together an emergency pickup of 20 extra kegs just to survive the weekend.
The Surprising Drink Choices of Football’s Icons
When it comes to what the actual players are drinking, the stories get even better. You might expect elite athletes to stick strictly to water and protein shakes, but some of the greatest to ever play the game have famous, unique drink preferences.
Lionel Messi & Luis Suárez: The Yerba Mate Obsession
If you see a photo of Lionel Messi or Luis Suárez arriving at a stadium, they are almost certainly clutching a traditional, wooden gourd with a metal straw (bombilla). They are completely obsessed with Yerba Mate, a traditional, highly caffeinated South American herbal tea.
It is incredibly bitter and earthy, but players swear by its jitter-free energy boost and high antioxidant count. The Argentine national team famously packs hundreds of pounds of mate leaves in their luggage for every single international tournament. After capturing global glory, Messi famously posted a picture in bed holding the gold trophy in one hand and his mate cup in the other—the ultimate athletic endorsement.
Looking to channel your inner Messi on match day? You don’t have to travel to Buenos Aires to find it—we proudly carry Yerba Madre right here at Bow Street Beverage so you can brew your own traditional gourd at home.
Garrincha: The Cachaça-Fueled Wizard
Going back to the historic 1958 and 1962 eras, Brazil’s Garrincha—widely considered one of the greatest dribblers in football history—was famously fueled by Cachaça (Brazil’s sugarcane spirit). He lived a wild, bohemian lifestyle, often playing matches with a heavy hangover and completely mesmerizing defenders anyway. To this day, old-school fans toast his legendary goals with a neat shot of sugarcane firewater.
Jamie Vardy: The Skittles Vodka & Port Ritual
English striker Jamie Vardy became a cult hero during his international tournament runs for his bizarre, wildly unathletic pre-match ritual. Vardy confessed that early in his career, he would fill a plastic bottle halfway with vodka and drop three bags of Skittles into it, drinking the sugary infusion while watching TV the night before a game. On match days, he would down a glass of tawny port in the morning to calm his nerves.
Cocktails Named After Soccer Legends
Mixologists and bars love paying tribute to icons of the pitch. If you want to drink like a legend, look for these tribute cocktails on bar menus around the world:
The Bitter Italian (The Paolo Di Canio): Created as a nod to the famously fiery Italian footballer, this cocktail is a spin on a whiskey sour. It features overproof whiskey, lemon juice, and a heavy pour of Amaretto (which translates loosely to “bitter Italian”). The drink is punchy, aggressive, and unpredictable.
The Maradoniana (The Diego Maradona): In Buenos Aires, bars honor the late, great Diego Maradona with a cocktail that matches his larger-than-life personality. It blends Fernet-Branca, blue curaçao (to match the sky-blue of Argentina’s jersey), and top-notch sparkling wine. It’s loud, sweet, and incredibly strong.
The George Best: Named after Northern Ireland’s charismatic winger who famously said, “I spent a lot of money on booze, birds, and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.” This tribute drink is a sophisticated twist on an Irish Coffee—combining rich Irish whiskey, dark espresso, and a float of heavy cream infused with Irish cream liqueur.
How to Drink Like a Local: Country-Specific Pairings
If you want to match your glass to the powerhouse teams on the pitch, look no further than the incredible viticulture and classic cocktails of the world’s footballing superpowers.
Spain: Elegant Tempranillo & Bold Rioja
Spanish football is defined by elegance, precise passing, and absolute control—traits mirrored perfectly in the country’s legendary wine production. To watch La Roja in style, step away from the beer tap and open a bottle of classic Spanish Tempranillo. Whether you choose a bright, fruit-forward Ribera del Duero or a beautifully aged, oaky Rioja, Spanish reds offer a perfect balance of savory leather, cherry notes, and refined tannins. If you want a more casual watch-party vibe, use a young Spanish red to mix up a traditional Kalimotxo (equal parts red wine and cola) or a classic, fruit-loaded Sangria.
Argentina: Bold Malbec & The Mighty Fernet
Argentina’s passion for football is nothing short of a religion, and their drink choices are just as bold. While the youth and stadium crowds live by Fernet & Coke (an intensely aromatic, bitter Italian liqueur mixed with Coca-Cola over mountains of ice), Argentina’s true global liquid crown belongs to Malbec. Grown in the high-altitude vineyards of Mendoza, Argentine Malbec is famous for its velvety texture, plum flavors, and cocoa finishes. It pairs spectacularly with match-day barbecue (asado) and brings an intense, robust flavor profile that matches the unwavering spirit of the team.
Brazil (The Caipirinha)
You cannot watch the Seleção without Brazil’s national drink. Made with cachaça, muddled fresh lime, and sugar, it is intensely refreshing. Pro-tip for locals: Bow Street Beverage carries an exclusive single barrel select of Novo Fogo barrel-aged cachaça. Using this instead of standard silver cachaça introduces warm, oaky complexities that make a wonderfully complex, elevated Caipirinha.
Germany (The Radler)
German soccer and beer culture are inseparable. While many opt for a traditional lager, the Radler is the ultimate tournament daytime sipper. Traditional European radlers heavily favor crisp grapefruit juice or sharp, real citrus juices rather than overly sweet lemonade. If you want to try it the authentic way, we carry Schöfferhofer and Stiegl—two legendary, completely authentic brands that keep things perfectly balanced and bright.
Mexico (The Spicy Paloma)
Mexico’s go-to watch drink isn’t actually a margarita—it’s the Paloma. Tequila mixed with grapefruit soda and fresh lime juice. For big matches, fans frequently throw in muddled jalapeño or a Tajín rim to mirror the fiery passion on the pitch.
Canada (The Bloody Caesar)
Canada’s true national cocktail is a massive watch-party staple. Similar to a Bloody Mary but using Clamato juice (a savory blend of tomato juice and clam broth), it is briny, spicy, and usually garnished so heavily it doubles as a match-day snack.
Whether you’re drinking a world-class Rioja, sipping an intense Argentine Malbec, or sharing a traditional gourd of Yerba Madre, the tournament reminds us that while we may speak different languages, we all toast the exact same goals.
If you are looking for classic international ales, premium craft beers, unique South American herbal teas, or spectacular old-world and new-world wines to fuel your 90 minutes of fandom, Bow Street Beverage has you covered.
Planning your match-day menu? Swing by Bow Street Beverage in Portland or Wells, Maine, to stock up on our massive international beer wall, hand-selected wine racks, and premium spirits selection, or browse our online shop to get your game-day supplies ready.
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