FIFA has banned fans from bringing reusable water bottles into World Cup stadiums, announcing the change seven days before the tournament kicks off on 11 June.
The late reversal also outlaws cups, jars and cans. It overturns an earlier stadium code of conduct that permitted empty, transparent reusable plastic bottles up to 1 litre and follows plans that had allowed bottles for matches in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
FIFA said the measure aims to lower the risk of injury caused by fans throwing missiles and said fans will be able to buy water inside stadiums, with a promise not to charge above usual venue prices.
The timing matters because scientists warned in May that FIFA’s heat safety measures for the tournament are inadequate and temperatures at 14 of the 16 host venues are expected to exceed dangerous levels. Heat experts have said removing easy access to personal water increases the risk of heat-related illness.
Supporters groups reacted sharply. The Free Lions England fans' group called the move a "strange, late change." Ronan Evain, of Football Supporters Europe, said: "It’s a real health risk," adding that collapsing in the stands from heatstroke is already seen more often in Europe and that "the more you complicate the access to water, the more the risk of people getting serious heatstroke and dehydration."
There is precedent for both approaches: at the last World Cup in Qatar fans were also prevented from taking bottles into stadia, while at the Club World Cup in the United States last summer fans were allowed to carry water. FIFA said it was prioritising the safety and security of everyone involved.
The immediate consequence for ticket-holders is clear: fans arriving with reusable bottles will be turned away at entry and will need to purchase water inside the venue. FIFA reiterated that it is "committed to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff," and framed the ban as a preventative safety step.
The friction is plain. FIFA frames the ban as a security precaution against thrown objects; heat specialists and supporters groups say it raises the risk of dehydration and heat-related incidents by making access to water more complicated during matches played in very hot conditions.
Key practical questions remain unanswered. FIFA has promised not to exceed usual venue prices for bottled water, but organisers have not published a price list and have not confirmed whether free drinking fountains will be available and easily accessible inside stadiums.
With kickoff seven days away, the single most consequential unanswered question is whether stadiums will provide free, publicly accessible water and clear information on costs. If they do not, the policy will shift the burden of hydration onto fans at venues already forecast to face dangerous temperatures.
