FIFA bans reusable water bottles in stadiums at the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA has explicitly banned bringing reusable water bottles into stadiums under its new stadium code of conduct for the 2026 World Cup, opening a debate about safety, water availability and the organisation of the fan experience during the biggest football tournament so far. According to the document, which came into force on 2 June 2026, bottles, cups, jars, cans and other closed or sealed containers that could be thrown or cause injury may not be brought into stadiums. In the same rule, FIFA further states that, for the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be brought into the stadium. The restriction applies to World Cup matches played from 11 June to 19 July in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. Since this is a tournament with 48 national teams, 104 matches and 16 host cities, the rule will apply to a very large number of spectators and different stadium conditions.
What exactly the new code prescribes
According to FIFA’s stadium code of conduct, the ban does not cover only classic water bottles but also thermos flasks, hip flasks, hard coolers, rigid packages and other objects that may be considered dangerous if thrown or used in a way that endangers others. In the section concerning food, liquids and consumable products, FIFA stipulates that liquids larger than 100 millilitres may not be brought into the stadium unless they have been purchased inside the stadium or fall under clearly stated exceptions. Alcoholic drinks are also not permitted outside controlled sales and consumption zones, and the rules on alcohol additionally depend on the local regulations of the country, state, province or city in which the match is being played. An exception has been made for hand sanitiser up to 100 millilitres, which means that hygiene rules are treated separately from rules on drinks. In practice, this means that fans who try to arrive at the entrance with a personal bottle, even an empty reusable bottle, will, under the current text of the code, have to give it up before entering or risk being refused entry.
In the same document, FIFA provides special exemptions for children and medical needs. According to the code, baby milk and sterilised water may be brought in containers of up to one litre per child, including glass containers, and medically necessary liquid of up to 500 millilitres is also allowed. For the medical exemption, a doctor’s certificate in English, French or Spanish is required, and the liquid must be intended for the person present at the entrance. A similar regime also applies to food: in general, it is not permitted to bring in food products unless they have been purchased inside the stadium, are needed for medical reasons or are intended for babies and small children. FIFA has thereby left limited room for necessary situations, but has not provided a general exception that would allow fans to bring their own reusable water bottle.
Safety as the official explanation
FIFA places the rules within the broader framework of security control at stadiums. The code of conduct states that it applies to all parts of the stadium used for the competition, including the stadium building, surrounding areas, car parks, entrances and exits under the control of stadium authorities. According to its introductory section, the document was prepared by FIFA and its local subsidiaries in the USA, Canada and Mexico in cooperation with the host stadiums. Enforcement may be supervised by FIFA, local organising structures, stadium managements, security guards, stewards, police and other public services responsible for safety and public order. The organisers also retain the right to make the final assessment of whether a particular object is prohibited, even if it is not expressly listed.
The code also provides for consequences for failing to respect the rules. According to FIFA’s document, a person who does not comply with the provisions may be removed from the stadium, may have their ticket or accreditation cancelled or revoked, and in cases assessed as a security risk, civil or criminal sanctions may also follow in accordance with local laws. The organisers also state that the latest version of the rules may be changed or supplemented at any time for security assessments. This is important because the tournament is being held in three countries with different legal frameworks and different stadium practices. For match visitors, this means that checking the latest rules immediately before arriving at the stadium becomes part of the preparation for the match itself.
Water will mostly have to be obtained after entry
The practical effect of the rule has attracted the most attention: water from one’s own bottle will not be available at the entrance, and liquids larger than 100 millilitres may be used only if purchased inside the stadium or if they belong to the prescribed exceptions. This raises the question of prices, the availability of sales points, queues and the capacity to supply water during matches with tens of thousands of spectators. FIFA cites security reasons in the rules, but criticism focuses on the fact that the ban affects an item often considered a basic part of preparation for a long stay outdoors or in large sports complexes. It is particularly sensitive because some matches will be played in cities where summer temperatures and humidity are an important organisational factor. If access to water relies primarily on stadium sales, the overall fan experience will depend decisively on how many sales and possible supply points are open, how quickly they operate and how crowds are managed.
Comparisons are already being drawn with problems recorded during FIFA’s 2025 Club World Cup in the USA, although the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena is not among the stadiums for the 2026 World Cup. The Guardian then reported that fans at the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Atlético Madrid, played around noon at temperatures of at least 31 degrees Celsius, reported long queues for water and difficult access to refreshments. According to that report, some visitors had to throw away full bottles before entering, and afterwards faced waiting and overburdened sales points. That example does not mean the same problems will be repeated at the World Cup, but it shows why rules on water are a sensitive topic at major football events. For the tournament organisers, the key test will not be only the text of the rules, but also the ability to ensure real, fast and safe access to water on match day.
The tournament is played in a period of increased heat risk
The ban on personal bottles comes at a time when heat risk is one of the main organisational topics of the 2026 World Cup. In a study published in the International Journal of Biometeorology, researchers, based on meteorological data from 2003 to 2022, assessed the wet-bulb globe temperature, or WBGT index, for the tournament’s host locations. According to the results of that study, 14 of the 16 host locations exceed the threshold of 28 degrees WBGT in at least part of the June and July conditions, and four locations exceed that threshold in more than half of afternoons in an average year. In a warmer year, according to the same paper, the number of locations exceeding that threshold during more than half of afternoons rises to nine. Although the research is primarily focused on players and officials, heat risk is not limited only to the pitch because spectators also spend hours arriving, in security queues, in the stands and leaving the stadium.
FIFA has already introduced a system of mandatory hydration breaks for players at the 2026 World Cup. According to FIFA’s announcement, the referee will stop play after 22 minutes in each half, and the break will last three minutes from whistle to whistle, regardless of stadium, roof or temperature. Manolo Zubiria, the tournament director for the USA, said according to FIFA’s announcement that the breaks would apply in all matches in order to ensure equal conditions for all teams. This measure shows that the organiser recognises the importance of hydration and heat stress in the sporting part of the competition. But for fans, the same level of standardised protection is not visible from the bottle rule itself, because the rule focuses on the ban on bringing items in, rather than on a detailed description of water availability inside each stadium.
Health experts warn about the importance of hydration
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that drinking water on hot days helps maintain hydration, regardless of how physically active a person is. The same institution warns that when the body overheats and cannot cool down sufficiently, heat-related illnesses can develop. In the context of the World Cup, this is especially important for visitors who will often arrive at stadiums by public transport, on foot or through large security zones, and then spend additional time in the stands and in crowds. The risk is not the same for everyone: children, older people, people with chronic illnesses and those taking certain medicines may be more sensitive to heat stress. That is why clear information about permitted items, water locations, medical assistance and procedures in case of heat will have practical importance equal to the entry rules.
Criticism of the ban on reusable bottles does not mean that stadium safety is not a legitimate concern. Major sports events must prevent the bringing in of objects that can become projectiles, a danger to other spectators or a means of disturbing public order. However, with items such as a water bottle, the security interest must be aligned with the expectation that a basic liquid will be available without long waits and without ambiguity. That is exactly why the debate is not reduced only to the question of whether a bottle may be brought in, but also to the question of how stadiums will compensate for the ban they have introduced. If it turns out that queues for water are long or that sales do not keep up with demand, a rule designed as a safety measure could become an organisational and reputational problem.
Broader context: bags, objects and sustainability
The code of conduct also introduces a broader policy for controlling items. According to FIFA’s rules, only certain clear bags made of plastic, vinyl or PVC may be brought into stadiums, and very small handbags or wallets of limited dimensions are also permitted. Backpacks, opaque bags, large bags, camera bags, seat cushions with pockets or zips and a series of items from pyrotechnics to loud fan instruments are prohibited. FIFA presents such rules as a way to speed up security checks and reduce risk in large crowds. Within that framework, the bottle ban is not isolated from the rest of the security regime, but is part of a significantly stricter model of stadium entry.
At the same time, the decision is also viewed through the prism of sustainability. In its Sustainability and Human Rights Strategy for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA states that organising an event of this size carries social, environmental, governance and economic responsibilities. If visitors cannot bring their own reusable bottles, the question arises of how waste from single-use packaging will be reduced and how stadiums will ensure that security rules do not encourage unnecessary plastic consumption. This does not mean that the ban is in itself proof of a failure of sustainability, because the final effect depends on whether water will be served in returnable, recyclable or reusable packaging and how efficiently waste management will be organised. Still, the rule clearly shows the tension between security protocols, health protection and the environmental goals of major sports competitions.
What fans need to know before arrival
The most important practical message from the current code is that fans should not come to the match with a reusable water bottle. Fans with medical needs should prepare a certificate in advance in one of the languages accepted by FIFA, and parents and guardians of small children should check the restrictions for children’s food, milk and sterilised water. Since FIFA retains the right to change the rules and allows additional measures depending on security assessments, the final instructions for each stadium and match should be checked immediately before departure. This is especially important because the tournament includes stadiums in different climatic conditions, from closed and covered arenas to more open venues in cities with hot summers. For the organisers, meanwhile, the biggest challenge will be to prove that the ban on personal bottles does not mean weaker access to water, but a security compromise accompanied by sufficient hydration infrastructure, clear notices and effective crowd management.
Sources: - FIFA – Stadium Code of Conduct for the FIFA World Cup 2026, rules on prohibited items, liquids, exceptions and organisers’ powers (link) - FIFA – official schedule of the 2026 World Cup, data on 104 matches, 48 national teams and the duration of the tournament (link) - FIFA – announcement on mandatory hydration breaks for players during the 2026 World Cup (link) - International Journal of Biometeorology / Springer – scientific study on heat risk and match scheduling at the 2026 World Cup (link) - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – health recommendations on heat, hydration and heat-related illnesses (link) - The Guardian – report on problems with heat, crowds and access to water at a FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match at the Rose Bowl (link) - FIFA – Sustainability and Human Rights Strategy for the 2026 World Cup, context of the tournament’s environmental and social obligations (link)