New York (AFP) – FIFA has banned fans from bringing refillable water bottles into World Cup venues in a last-minute policy change that will force thirsty supporters to pay for bottled water, The Athletic reported on Wednesday.
As recently as last month, FIFA’s official stadium code of conduct included a clause which read: “For the avoidance of doubt, empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles, up to (1 liter in) capacity, may be brought into the Stadium.”
However The Athletic reported on Wednesday that those guidelines had now been tweaked to explicitly ban refillable bottles.
“For the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be brought into the stadium,” an updated stadium code of conduct read.
In a statement to AFP, a FIFA spokesperson said the rule change was taken on safety grounds, noting that several World Cup venues already barred the use of refillable water bottles.
“FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff,” the statement read.
"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.”
The statement added that misting stations, fans, hydration stations and cooling tents would be available in “the stadium footprint”.
It added that bottled water inside the venue would be sold at prices which “remain consistent with other events held at each stadium.”
The rule change comes despite experts warning fans could face health risks from extreme heat at open-air venues during the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
A report published by the World Weather Attribution research group last month estimated that 26 of 104 games at the World Cup are likely to be played in conditions where the Wet Bulb Global Temperature (WBGT) exceeds 26 degrees.
WBGT is a measure of heat stress on the human body which combines temperature, humidity, wind and sunlight.
At last year’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where fans complained of searing temperatures, supporters were also barred from bringing water bottles into venues.
Just one more grift to add to the pile.
How long before they charge for each breath?
$20 per Ole chanted, $50 to participate in a Mexican wave. A thousand to curse at the referee.
It’s as if the upper class no longer understands the purpose of panem et circenses, they even want to keep that to themselves.
Is the mexican wave different than the regular wave?
hmmm I know it as the mexican wave because it was a thing at the Mexico world cup where my country did reasonably well, thus enshrined forever in the collective memory. Perhaps for other countries it’s indeed known as the wave, I had no idea. TIL :)
Since I was a kid in the 80s, in the US, we always did this at baseball games, and it was always just called the wave.
I wonder if maybe it was originally a North American thing, and was only exposed to fans on a world level through a more international sport like soccer football through an event hosted in Mexico. Though that seems weird too because it’s such a simple concept I would expect it to predate the Roman coliseum.
Ah yes, seems it’s exactly as you say: it existed before the world cup, but that drove its international popularity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_(audience)#1986_FIFA_World_Cup_in_Mexico
how much to blow my vuvuzela?
No, I dont do that sort of stuff 😄
20 bucks is 20 bucks
That was never free.
Wait did you say Mexican? DEPORTED
Fuck FIFA.
In my European home country, the usual excitement for the world cup, is not there at all. Except the die hards, no one is barely talking about it.
This is a mix of you growing up with a hint of nostalgia, and the death of the TV.
Excitement for the world cup is waning, just like it’s waning for any other event/show that collected the family in front of the small screen.
The quality of game itself has always been not good at the international level. And that probably increased with players playing in many different leagues, not just teams. While decades ago, you had some cores of teams playing for the same club.
The game itself changed of course. No more no.10 artists giving you a good show.
In my extended family, most people who care about the world cup are people who don’t watch the sport much during the regular season. So it’s not really primarily a sporting event for them.
I would love it if it was a moral awakening, or increased awareness of the hubris that is the modern nation state identity, that is driving this. But I genuinely doubt it. And if you think it is now, or was in Qatar (the biggest moral posturing maxxing event in internet history) or Russia, I’m afraid you’re probably over-influenced by your echo chamber of choice.
Going to a World Cup game was on my bucket list all through my young adulthood. Now there’s going to be matches a 90 minute train ride from my house and I never even considered buying a ticket. I’m going to go to a Banana Ball game instead…
All big sports have been enshittified to the point they suck. The worst auto racing experience you could have is a F1 race today, they herd you like cattle to net an experience far worse than TV.
Same here, but in Canada where some of the games are happening. Used to be a parade of flags on cars but that’s gone, no one is buying the scalper tickets (which is supposed to be illegal) or the pricey hotels.
I think even football fans are sick of FIFA’s bullshit.
So can you bring your own non-refillable bottles?
Isn’t every bottle refillable? I don’t get why this specification is required… Sounds like an unnecessary use of pleonasm.
I had this argument with an airport security person. I had my toiletries in a bag that I had knotted shut, She told me it needed to be in a resealable bag. So u untied the knot and redid it.
She then was irritated and directed me to a machine that sold one pound ziplock bags. So I trashed my toothpaste and got on with my day.
So when dealing with power tripping people, the re- moniker seems not as hewn in stone.
You could have gone one further and discuss whether toothpaste is actually a liquid or not. It’s a paste, or more specifically a Bingham plastic.
But that probably would go way above their mental capabilities if they already don’t understand what resealable means.
Airport security doesn’t follow definitions of physics, they follow their list of rules.
And in those rules, toothpaste is a liquid.I looked it up, and no in their rules toothpaste is not a liquid. But pastes, gels, creams and aerosols aren’t allowed either. So yes the toothpaste argument wouldn’t hold.
But the resealable bag argument still stands. They also only need to fit in it, not have to be in it (the bag is only to facilitate screening, not a requirement). So if it was just toothpaste the whole bag wasn’t necessary to begin with.
someone reading the small print
In the Brazil world cup they forced to government to reverse a piece of legislation that had proved efficient in curbing violent outcomes in games so that a sponsor could be presented the stadiums: Budweiser. After 8 year of alcohol not being allowed in football stadiums, FIFA forced the overturn of it.
Boycot it. Don’t go to the games. Do not watch it on tv.
People actually sat through a game without drinking?
What is so esoteric about it?
Why is anyone going to the World Cup??? I feel like we should be gathering information on the people going there, no not the immigrants.
HAHAHA get fucked.
How long until they ban bringing flags and sell them at the entrance?
Well now that you’ve said it out loud
No outside shirts. You must wear a shirt beyond this point. Here is a kiosk where you may buy shirts.
Ya, do this search, “nestle Fifa 2026”
Fucok nestle.
At least the doubt has been avoided
And you thought FIFA had hit rock bottom with the fake “peace prize”.
Sepp Blatter is a Trumpian piece of shit. He ruined the sport.
Wasn’t the peace prize from Infantino? He has the remarkable achievement of managing to be even worse than Blatter
I’m going to get around this by ignoring the tournament.
Disability issue. Some people need special bottles. Money getting in the way of access, again.
Just mug them on the way in, you cowards.
If you’re not doing pig-butchering scams on your customers you might as well run a charity!
I sense a revival of the waterskin!
A Camelbak is not a bottle, correct?
Is that not standard practice ? It is around here at least. People tend to throw all kind of crap at rivaling players so usually bottles etc are not allowed. Any liquid served at the stadium is in soft plastic cups.
Obviously sucks that it is required and people can’t behave.
They banned refillable water bottles specifically.
Refillable as in metal bottles, or all bottles including the plastic ones they usually come with when you buy them at the supermarket (“single” use, but perfectly refillable)?
Metal ones can hurt a player, a plastic one without cap might not
