June 4 (Reuters) – Attendees of the World Cup will not be allowed to carry reusable water bottles into venues due to safety concerns, FIFA said on Thursday, following a last-minute change to its Stadium Code of Conduct.
The governing body, which had earlier permitted empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles inside stadiums, said the updated code – effective from Tuesday – now prohibits them.
Other items like bottles, cups, jars and cans are also banned to prevent the risk of injury if thrown.
“FIFA is committed to protecting the health and safety of all players, referees, fans, volunteers, and staff,” it told Reuters in a statement. “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 move has raised concerns among supporters about coping with heat, with temperatures at a few venues expected to range between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius, as well as access to drinking water inside stadiums.
FIFA said measures would be in place to deal with the conditions.
“FIFA works closely with each Host City Committee and local authorities on heat mitigation factors for fans traveling to the stadium, which can include resources such as misting stations, fans, hydration stations, cooling tents and more around the stadium footprint,” the statement said.
“Inside the stadium footprint, pricing for water bottles for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will remain consistent with other events held at each stadium.”
The 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, will run from June 11 to July 19. The tournament will feature 104 matches, up from 64 previously, including an additional knockout round.
(Reporting by Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
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