WASHINGTON — As the U.S. and Netherlands men's soccer teams were preparing to go head-to-head Saturday morning in a pivotal World Cup match, the ambassadors of their countries were creating their own matchup.
Amb. André Haspels, the Netherlands ambassador to the United States, placed a sweet bet on the outcome of Saturday's game with his fellow ambassador, Shefali Razdan Duggal. Via Twitter, Haspels suggested the two leaders make a friendly dessert wager.
"How about a friendly wager over Saturday’s game?" Amb. Haspels wrote on Twitter, tagging Amb. Duggal. "But instead of ＄or €, we sweeten the pot: If [the U.S.] wins, I’ll hand out donuts in DC’s Dupont Circle, and if [the Netherlands] wins, you‘ll hand out oliebollen at Den Haag Centraal. Would you like to place the bet?"
Duggal, who was appointed to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands just this fall, responded with a simple message: "You're on!"
Oliebollen is a traditional Dutch doughnut typically served as a snack around Christmas time. Duggal, a self-described sugar lover, recently discovered the tasty treat, with a personal preference for the Nutella variety.
Haspels, who has represented the Netherlands in D.C. since 2019, was far from the only person in the District excited to see the matchup. Numerous bars opened early, and fans were packing in starting at 6 a.m. in some spots. Generally, businesses in D.C. may serve alcohol between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, it's 8 a.m. to 3 a.m. On Sunday, it's 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
This year, more than 100 businesses in the D.C. area requested special permits to allow them to serve alcohol outside of normal serving hours.
Businesses that applied for temporary licenses for the World Cup may operate 24 hours a day and sell and serve alcohol between 6 a.m. and 4 a.m. through Dec. 18.
See a full list of bars with extended World Cup hours at the link below:
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