/ Aug 16, 2026
/ Aug 16, 2026

FIFA bans reusable water bottles at 2026 World Cup stadiums

Published on

By

FIFA has introduced a last-minute ban on reusable water bottles at stadiums hosting matches during the 2026 World Cup, a move that has sparked concerns over fan welfare amid warnings of extreme heat.

 

The governing body confirmed that supporters will no longer be allowed to bring refillable water bottles into tournament venues across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The decision marks a significant change from guidance issued as recently as May, when FIFA’s stadium code of conduct stated that empty, transparent reusable plastic bottles with a capacity of up to one litre would be permitted inside venues.

According to a report by The Athletic cited by Channels Television, FIFA has now revised its regulations to explicitly prohibit reusable water bottles.

The updated code states: “For the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be brought into the stadium.”

FIFA defended the decision, saying the policy was introduced for safety reasons. In a statement to AFP, a FIFA spokesperson said several World Cup venues already restricted reusable bottles and that the organisation was applying a uniform standard across all tournament stadiums.

“FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff,” the spokesperson said.

The governing body added that the ban is intended to reduce the risk of injuries to players and spectators.

To address hydration concerns, FIFA said cooling tents, misting stations, fans and hydration points will be available around stadium premises. Bottled water will also be sold inside venues at prices comparable to those charged during other events held at the stadiums.

The policy change comes despite growing concern from climate experts over potentially dangerous temperatures during the tournament.

A recent report by the World Weather Attribution research group estimated that 26 of the 104 matches scheduled for the 2026 World Cup could be played in conditions where the Wet Bulb Global Temperature exceeds 26 degrees Celsius. The measure combines temperature, humidity, wind and sunlight to assess heat stress on the human body.

Concerns over fan comfort were also raised during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where supporters complained about intense heat and were similarly prevented from bringing water bottles into stadiums.

The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and is set to be the largest edition of the tournament in history.

You May Like

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Popular

Must Read

Arsenal players celebrate their 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City at the Principality Stadium.

Arsenal thrash Man City 3-0 to lift Community Shield

Arsenal beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield on Sunday, giving Mikel Arteta an early-season triumph while condemning new City boss Enzo Maresca to defeat in his first game in charge in the traditional curtain-raiser to the campaign.   With their fourth victory over City in the fixture, Arsenal maintained their 100% win record over their opponents with an emphatic performance at the Principality Stadium, where Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard found the net. “We showed our level today, we showed that we’re ready,” Odegaard told TNT Sports. “I think we showed that we’re serious, we want to do it again. There’s more trophies to go for and that’s the aim.” Having failed to convince in pre-season performances that raised a few eyebrows, Arsenal exploded into action with devastating effect right from kick-off, needing just 23 seconds to silence any lingering doubts about their readiness. Myles Lewis-Skelly was deployed in midfield and he threaded an excellent pass to set up left-back Calafiori, who calmly finished past Gianluigi Donnarumma to give Arsenal the perfect start against the FA Cup champions. The early strike — the first goal scored in the opening minute of the fixture in 58 years — set the tone for a dominant display where Arsenal looked fitter, sharper, more confident and full of attacking verve. Arsenal celebrate first premier league title since 2004 with massive parade City did not have a clear opportunity until the 20th minute, when Phil Foden curled a shot from range but David Raya was up to the task, diving to his right to deny the midfielder, and later saved a shot from Erling Haaland. Arsenal doubled their lead when Odegaard floated in a cross to the far post, where new signing Christos Tzolis headed the ball back across goal for Havertz to head home, with Donnarumma accidentally spilling the ball over the line. Arsenal needed just three minutes after the restart to make it 3-0, with Tzolis grabbing his second assist when he set up Odegaard, whose delicate first touch took the ball past Josko Gvardiol before he beat a wrong-footed Donnarumma with ease. Maresca’s side showed only flashes of their attacking threat, but Raya stood firm to preserve a clean sheet while Haaland — last season’s Golden Boot winner with 27 goals — was kept quiet and withdrawn before the hour mark. Arsenal kick off the new Premier League campaign on Friday against Coventry City, and Odegaard said they were going to play on the front foot to defend their crown. “We’re going to attack it. We want to do it again. It was an unbelievable achievement and experience for all of us,” he said. “When you get the taste of how nice it is, you want to do it again. And there’s also a few other ones we want to take,” he added, referring to the Champions League title that slipped through their fingers in the final against Paris Saint-Germain. “At this club, you want to win all of them. But of course, that’s a big one.” The Gunners’ victory over the FA Cup holders gave them their second trophy in four months and their 18th Community Shield title overall. The match was played at the Principality Stadium while Wembley hosts Canadian singer The Weeknd’s ‘After Hours til Dawn’ tour.
Read more

Editor's Pick

Trending News

Newsletter

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

You have been successfully Subscribed! Ops! Something went wrong, please try again.

© 2026 GongNews. All Rights Reserved.