Posted on 5th June 2026
World Cup 2026: FIFA under fire for water bottle u-turn
This week FIFA announced that it would no longer be allowing supporters at this summer’s World Cup to bring reusuable water bottles into stadiums across Canada, the USA and Mexico.
Last month, FIFA’s official stadium code of conduct included a measure which said: “For the avoidance of doubt, empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles (up to 1 litre in capacity) may be brought into the stadium.”
Now FIFA have informed World Cup ticket holders that they have updated the code of conduct and the correspondence told supporters that “reusable water bottles are no longer permitted at the FIFA World Cup 2026™ stadiums.”
The move has drawn fierce criticism as temperatures across the tournament are expected to regularly exceed 30°C amid high humidity.
Our Free Lions Fans’ Embassy team said:
“What next? Suncream banned and fans forced to buy it in stadiums?
“For all of the effort they are going to with ‘drinks breaks’ for the players, this is such a strange, late change.
“In all of our discussions, free water availability in stadiums was a key one and we were assured by FIFA that this would be the case, and that fans will have the ability to bring their own water bottle. The below graphic was shared.
“Naturally, the immediate thought from supporters is this is just the latest money-grab.
“For how hot the stadiums will be, many in open air, just let fans bring a bottle if they want to.
“We hope the water fountains in stadiums will still be free, hopefully you aren’t charged in the queue!”
