Beer will not return to the stadiums of Nizhny Novgorod.

      On March 30, 2026, at 11:56, Sports - The Russian Ministry of Health has blocked a bill regarding the possible return of beer to stadiums, reported Dmitry Svishchev, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports. "In the near future, there are no prospects for the return of beer," the deputy stated in an interview with "Sport-Express," clarifying that the Ministry of Health's position is related to concerns about the "alcoholization" of society. Svishchev added that fans come to stadiums primarily for the game, not for consuming alcohol. In his opinion, moderate consumption of beer in the stands is unlikely to lead to serious consequences. The decision not to return beer has drawn criticism from representatives of the sports community. Former Russian national team player Vladimir Bystrov called the situation sad and pointed out that alcohol is still available in the VIP areas of stadiums. "Moreover, there is beer in the boxes! Both alcoholic and whatever you want. Why can't ordinary fans have it, I don't understand!" he told "SE." Sports commentator Dmitry Guberniev also advocated for the return of beer, suggesting that its strength should be limited. The issue has also been raised at the regional level. In January 2024, then-general director of FC "Pary Nizhny Novgorod" David Melik-Guseynov supported the idea of returning beer to stadiums, noting that it could positively impact club revenues. He emphasized that infrastructure development must be comprehensive, taking into account the interests of different categories of fans. The "beer" topic is also being discussed in hockey. In August 2025, the general director of the hockey club "Torpedo," Evgeny Zabuga, confidently stated that the sale of beer is planned to be allowed at the new Ice Arena at Strelka. "In special zones, the drink can be purchased and consumed. It cannot be brought into the bowl. This experience works in other cities, there are no excesses," Zabuga said at the time, noting that this is also important from a commercial perspective. Earlier, the initiative to return beer to stadiums was supported by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia. It should be noted that restrictions on the sale of beer at stadiums have been in place since 2005. They were temporarily lifted during the Confederations Cup in 2017 and the FIFA World Cup in 2018.

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