FIFA Ban on Reusable Water Bottles Sparks Anger Among World Cup Fans
FIFA has been accused of putting revenue ahead of supporters' health after banning reusable water bottles from World Cup stadiums in a late U-turn, The Guardian reports. With sweltering heat expected at many venues, fan groups have called the decision a "real health risk" and "immoral," while FIFA says it is a safety measure to prevent injury.
F IFA has been accused of putting revenue ahead of fans' health after banning reusable water bottles from being taken into World Cup stadiums, The Guardian reports. In a late reversal, the governing body rowed back on earlier advice that empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles would be allowed inside venues, instead prohibiting them "to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees."
"A real health risk"
The decision has alarmed supporters' groups, with high temperatures forecast at many stadiums and little detail on how else fans can easily get water. "It's a real health risk," said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. "In Europe we see people collapsing in the stands from heatstroke more and more often. It is a very simple mathematics issue: the more you complicate access to water, the more the risk of people getting serious heatstroke and dehydration." Evain added: "How immoral it is to profit from water in this situation when people's health is at risk. I find this appalling."
FIFA points to safety
FIFA said it was "prioritising safety and security of everyone involved." In an earlier statement it said: "FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers and staff. FIFA made the decision to prohibit bottles to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees. Outside bottles are already prohibited at several of these venues for safety considerations and FIFA is applying this consideration across its tournament stadiums."
A reversal from last year
Fans were allowed to bring water bottles to the Club World Cup in the United States last summer, and FIFA had planned to apply the same approach this year across the United States, Mexico and Canada. "If they allowed it last year and originally for this tournament, then I find the security argument a bit hard to believe," Evain said, noting that no prices for stadium water have been published. He pointed out that FIFA had previously cited water bottles as part of its response to the heat risk, raising the question of what mitigation now replaces them.
Heat and the fan response
The change lands amid wider concern about heat at the tournament. The England supporters' group Free Lions reacted on X: "What next? Sun cream 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."
Reporting: Nick Ames, The Guardian, June 4, 2026.