How One Man Successfully Smuggled Liquor Into the World Cup Using Sunscreen Bottles

Some fans have gone above and beyond to smuggle liquor into the World Cup, but it’s a dangerous game. Photo: Getty Images/Philip Fong

Attempts to circumvent Qatar’s alcohol ban at the 2022 World Cup have come in all shapes and sizes; one Seattle man created a “secret map” of drinking locations dotted around Doha, while others have successfully been able to apply for government-issued alcohol licenses at Qatar’s one and only liquor store. Others attempted, unsuccessfully, to smuggle alcohol in using binoculars.

But one man, identified only as “Teddy” by the Gwinnett Daily Post, has apparently been able to smuggle liquor into the World Cup to his heart’s content using flasks disguised as sunscreen bottles.

The story begins in the United States. Teddy contacted the owner of a boat cruise that he and his wife would be taking to Doha and asked if there was any way they’d be able to procure alcohol.

The owner, who also goes unnamed in this story, responded mysteriously, “I can go to the candy shop for you.”

Teddy was eventually able to get his hands on cases of beer and hard seltzer, a bottle of Jameson Whiskey, a bottle of Hendrick’s Gin and later a bottle of Clan McGregor Scotch.

It was clear that the group didn’t have any chance of getting the beers or hard seltzers into the stadium, but Teddy had been scheming up a way to smuggle in their array of hard spirits.

One of his friends tipped him off to this listing on Amazon, the self-described “GoPong Sport Bottle Sunscreen Flask 2 Pack.” These clever little containers are advertised as holding 10 shots each. 

Funniest of all, the two-pack comes with a “15 SPF” bottle and a “30 SPF” bottle. For maximal discreetness, of course.

Teddy understandably had some trepidation about the plan, so he carried out a test run of sorts at the U.S. opener game against Wales.

He arrived at the stadium and placed an empty sunscreen flask in the bin next to the metal detector. He got through without any problems. “No big deal,” he said.

Come U.S. vs. England, and Teddy was ready to try out the real deal. He filled his flask with whiskey and made his way toward security, but quickly faced an unexpected hurdle.

Security told him that his “sunscreen” exceeded the 100-milliliter limit. This was not an issue he’d had last time, nor a rule that Teddy had ever heard of before.

Confident that his scheme wouldn’t be trampled so easily, Teddy simply headed to a different lane and was quickly able to get in without issue.

As far as we know there are countless different “Teddys” at the World Cup right now, drinking varyingly from whatever household objects can discreetly be hallowed out into boozy receptacles. Truly, the sky is the limit for imagining what people might be sipping whiskey or tequila out of at this very moment.

It’s a risky game, but one that some super-fans are clearly willing to play.

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