The Saudi Arabian ambassador to the UK has told football fans “plenty of fun can be had without alcohol” as he warned them not to expect to drink if they attend the 2034 World Cup.

Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud also said “we will welcome everyone” when asked to address the safety of LGBTQ+ people at the controversial tournament.

In an interview with LBC, Prince Khalid said: “At the moment, we don’t allow alcohol, but you know, plenty of fun can be had without alcohol. It’s not 100% necessary. And you know if, if you want to drink when you leave, after you leave, you’re welcome to. But at the moment, we don’t have alcohol.”

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The Guardian has previously reported that Fifa has decided not to press local organisers to sell beer inside stadiums during the World Cup, mindful of the embarrassing reverse that took place in 2022 when Qatari officials pushed back against beer sales at matches.

There has, however, been much speculation that the Saudi state will look to roll back its even stricter laws on drinking, by perhaps allowing tourists to drink in international hotels, as they can in much of the rest of the Gulf. Prince Khalid appeared to reject that possibility in the interview, however, although he did so using the present tense.

“There’s no alcohol at all,” he said when asked about hotel bars. “Rather like our weather, it’s a dry country. Everyone has their own culture, and we’re happy to accommodate people within the boundaries of our culture, but we don’t want to change our culture for someone else, OK? And I mean, really, you can’t live without a drink?”

Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia and people can be imprisoned for “promoting the vice and practice of homosexuality”. Before the Qatar World Cup, organisers responded to questions over possible discrimination by saying “everyone is welcome” at the event, a tone reprised by Prince Khalid when asked about the subject in relation to 2034.

“We will welcome everyone,” he said. “You saw that recently this was an issue in the World Cup in Qatar. There were no issues there. You know, this is a special event. It is not a Saudi event. It is a world event. And to a large extent, we will welcome to everyone who wants to come.”