If you throw your World Cup pint in the air you could end up in jail

Jubilant World Cup fans who throw pints of beer into the air to celebrate their team scoring may think it's harmless fun - but they could face jail time.

Legal experts have warned England and Wales fans ahead of Tuesday's (29 November) match that throwing drinks into the air could break the law - if the cup or booze strikes another person.

In a Q&A with The Morning Advertiser, specialist licensing solicitors Poppleston Allen issued the warning before the big game tomorrow, which has been dubbed "do or die" because it will help decide which nations reach the tournament's final stages.

The firm said: "Clearly if an object such as a glass or even a polycarbonate is thrown deliberately, that would be an assault or attempted assault. If it is part of generally aggressive group behaviour it could be a public order offence."

Common assault has a maximum sentence of six months in jail. Disorderly behaviour can lead to custody or a fine.

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Alcohol cannot be bought or consumed in most areas of Qatar's stadiums, and only fans in the stadium’s high-end luxury suites have access to booze.

FIFA said that regular fans at the matches could drink alcohol within the stadium's perimeter, however.

"A decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar's FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters," FIFA wrote in a statement on 18 November.

It's is also a punishable offence to get publicly drunk in the country. Consuming booze in public spaces can get you locked up in jail for up to six months, slapped with a £700 fine, or both.

However, alcohol can still be bought at specifically licensed hotel restaurants and bars, and ex-pats within the country can get a permit to purchase it.

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