Amsterdam won't allow terrace screenings of Qatar World Cup's first matches

Amsterdam will not allow catering businesses to show the matches in the group stage of the World Cup on TV screens on terraces, mayor Femke Halsema said in response to questions from Claire Martens (VVD). The city council may allow terrace viewings during the knockout phase, AT5 reports.

The municipality’s rules do not allow TV screens on terraces in the winter. In the summer, when the terraces are larger in size and open for longer, catering establishments are permitted to place screens for football matches and other events, provided they can’t be watched from the public road.

But with the World Cup happening in the winter this year, the VVD hoped to relax the rules. According to Martens, allowing screens on the terraces would be an excellent opportunity for catering entrepreneurs to refill their piggybanks after the pandemic. Last month, the D66 argued for only allowing public screenings if they also paid attention to the human rights situation in Qatar.

The mayor and aldermen decided not to change the rules for the time being. But Halsema did not rule out that they may allow screens later on. “Without wanting to jinx it: if the Dutch team gets much further, come back to me.”

The World Cup in Qatar kicks off on November 20. Oranje will play its first match the next day against Senegal. The last game in the group stage for Oranje is on November 29.