World Cup fans can bring their voices but not their Nalgene. FIFA has quietly reversed course and will no longer allow reusable water bottles into stadiums during the tournament in the US, Mexico, and Canada, updating its 35-page Stadium Code of Conduct just days before kickoff, NBC News reports. Limited exceptions apply for baby milk and liquids required for medical reasons. The organization says the move is about safety, arguing bottles could be used as projectiles and noting some venues already bar them. The 48-team tournament runs from June 11 to July 19.
The shift comes as heat is expected to be a major concern, with research suggesting conditions at most host stadiums could pose health risks. Fans will have to buy water inside, though FIFA says prices will match usual venue rates. Supporters' groups slammed the "strange, late change." An England supporters' group said: "Naturally, the immediate thought from supporters is this is just the latest money-grab" on top of inflated ticket and travel costs. "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 Free Lions group wrote on X.
FIFA says it is aware of heat safety concerns, and the tournament will include three-minute hydration breaks for players in each half of every game. Ollie Jay, a professor of heat and health at the University of Sydney, tells the BBC he is more worried about the fans. "If you look at the athlete population, all of them are very fit," Jay says. "Whereas if you think about the spectators, you've got a broad range of different people that will be attending, from young kids to elderly people, people with chronic diseases, people taking different types of medications—all of which results in different levels of heat sensitivity."
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