Fifa reverses World Cup water bottle ban after fan backlash and political pressure

Fifa has reversed course on its water bottle policy for the 2026 World Cup, announcing that fans attending matches in the United States and Canada will be permitted to bring one factory-sealed, soft plastic 590ml (20oz) disposable bottle into stadiums — a partial climbdown following widespread criticism of an earlier ban.

Earlier this week, Fifa had updated its stadium entry rules to prohibit the reusable, transparent bottles of up to one litre that ticket holders had previously been allowed to carry in empty. The reversal stops short of restoring that original allowance: hard-sided resealable containers remain prohibited. World Cup 2026 chief operating officer Heimo Schirgi said those items “could pose a safety and security risk.”

The ban had drawn sharp condemnation from fan groups and scientific experts already concerned about the welfare of spectators in the extreme summer heat expected across North American host cities. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer added his voice to the criticism on Friday, telling LBC: “It’s just wrong. And I can’t help but think that it’s about making money. So you can’t bring plastic bottles in but you can buy a bottle of water when you get in the crowd? And then it’ll be expensive.”

Starmer also took aim at ticket pricing more broadly, saying costs were “far too expensive” and that the bottle policy compounded an already difficult financial burden on supporters.

Fifa had initially justified the ban as a measure to “prevent risk and injury to players and attendees.” The governing body did not directly address that rationale in its revised announcement, which stated simply that all fans would be permitted the single sealed bottle at matches across the USA and Canada.

Fans who attended last summer’s Club World Cup in the United States had been allowed to bring empty bottles into venues, with water available for purchase inside stadiums at prices ranging from approximately £3 to £4.50.