ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he'll reconsider the ban on beer at sports stadiums ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

Putin was questioned about the ban Thursday when he and FIFA president Sepp Blatter met with fans in St. Petersburg as part of commemorations of the 100th birthday of the Russian soccer federation.

As president, Putin signed a 2005 law banning beer and beer advertisements at sports venues.

He told the fan who asked about lifting the ban that "when the decision was made about stadiums, it came from the best of intentions. OK, we'll return to it again and think about it."

Blatter noted that beer is popular among fans, saying "beer is like a part of life. Can you imagine holding a championship in Germany without beer?"

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press