Fifa has banned fans from bringing reusable water bottles into World Cup stadiums, in a policy reversal announced just seven days before the tournament begins on 11 June.
The decision extends the ban to cups, jars, and cans, with Fifa citing safety concerns around fans throwing missiles as the primary justification for the late change.
The official stadium code of conduct had previously stated that empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles of up to one litre in capacity were permitted inside venues.
Fans will still be able to purchase water inside stadiums, with Fifa promising that prices will remain consistent with those charged at other events held at each venue.
Heat experts have been swift to criticise the U-turn, warning that the ban “will clearly heighten the risk of heat-related health incidents” among supporters attending matches.
In May, scientists warned that Fifa’s heat safety measures for the tournament are “inadequate”, with temperatures at 14 of the 16 host venues expected to exceed dangerous levels.
Ollie Jay, a professor of heat and health at the University of Sydney, said he is more concerned about spectator welfare than the welfare of the players themselves.
Jay noted that spectators range from young children to elderly people and those with chronic diseases, making them potentially less resilient to heat than highly-conditioned professional athletes.
He warned that heat strain could accumulate progressively as fans travel to stadiums, with many arriving already in a state of dehydration before they even take their seats.
“It’s not just the temperature that we need to be concerned about,” Jay said, pointing to closely confined seating areas, direct sunlight, humidity, and low airflow as compounding factors.
Dr Theodore Keeping from Imperial College London stressed that “allowing fair and equitable access to hydration is a basic first defence against the extreme heat risks climate change is bringing to this World Cup.”
Andrew Simms from the New Weather Institute went further, questioning whether Fifa is “climate-trolling the game it’s meant to protect” by staging what he called the most polluting World Cup ever.
The Free Lions England fans’ group described the move as a “strange, late change”, saying supporters had previously been assured by Fifa that they would be able to bring their own water bottles into stadiums.
In a statement posted on X, the group added: “Naturally, the immediate thought from supporters is this is just the latest money-grab. For how hot the stadiums will be, many in open air, just let fans bring a bottle if they want to.”
Fifa has introduced one three-minute hydration break per half at all matches during the tournament as part of its response to ongoing heat safety concerns raised by health experts.
The policy change comes amid broader frustration among supporters, who are already contending with complaints over extortionate ticket prices and inflated train fares surrounding the tournament.
