Starmer condemns Fifa's refillable water bottle ban at World Cup as 'wrong and about money'

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned Fifa’s decision to ban refillable water bottles from World Cup stadiums, telling LBC the policy is “just wrong” and driven by profit rather than safety.

Fifa’s updated code of conduct for ticket holders, issued on 2 June, removed a previous provision that allowed fans to bring empty, transparent, reusable bottles of up to one litre into venues. The governing body says the ban is intended to “prevent risk and injury to players and attendees”, but the explanation has done little to quiet critics.

“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 said. “The tickets themselves cost a fortune, far too expensive in my view. So the ticket sales are too high. And this is the wrong policy.”

The ban has drawn condemnation from fan groups and scientific experts who had already raised concerns about the effect of extreme heat on spectator welfare at the tournament, which spans venues across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

This is not Starmer’s first public challenge to Fifa over the tournament’s commercial practices. Speaking separately last week, he urged the governing body not to “rip off” supporters. “Football fans should come first,” he said. “It is unacceptable for fans to be exploited for wanting to support their country on the biggest stage.”

The World Cup opens on 11 June with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa, and the dual controversies over ticket pricing and the water bottle policy are threatening to cast a shadow over the tournament’s opening days. Fifa has yet to respond publicly to Starmer’s latest remarks.