FIFA bans fans from bringing refillable water bottles into 2026 World Cup venues despite heat concerns.

NEW YORK, June 4 — FIFA has banned fans from bringing refillable water bottles into World Cup venues in a last-minute policy change that will require spectators to purchase bottled water, The Athletic reported yesterday.

As recently as last month, FIFA’s official stadium code of conduct stated that “empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles, up to (1 liter in) capacity, may be brought into the stadium.”

However, The Athletic reported that the guidelines have since been revised to explicitly prohibit refillable bottles.

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

It remains unclear why FIFA changed the policy ahead of the World Cup, which is scheduled to begin in Mexico City on June 11.

FIFA did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.

The decision comes despite warnings from experts that fans could face health risks from extreme heat at open-air venues during the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

A report by the World Weather Attribution research group last month estimated that 26 of the 104 matches could be played under conditions where the Wet Bulb Global Temperature (WBGT) exceeds 26 degrees.

WBGT measures heat stress on the human body by factoring in temperature, humidity, wind, and sunlight.

At last year’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where supporters also endured extreme heat, fans were similarly prohibited from bringing water bottles into stadiums. — AFP