FIFA revises stadium policies, supporters are permitted to bring certain types of water bottles.

FIFA has officially revised its spectator belongings policy for the 2026 World Cup following widespread scrutiny and criticism from multiple parties. The global Football governing body will now allow supporters to bring one specified drinking water bottle when entering match stadiums.

In an official statement published via its verified social media channels on Friday 5 June 2026, FIFA announced that spectators attending matches hosted in the United States and Canada are permitted to carry one factory-sealed soft plastic single-use drinking water bottle.

"All fans may bring one factory-sealed 20 fluid ounce (590ml) soft plastic single-use water bottle into 2026 World Cup matches held in the United States and Canada," the official FIFA statement read.

Despite this policy relaxation, FIFA has retained the existing full prohibition on spectators bringing rigid reusable water bottles inside stadium grounds.

Per FIFA's explanation, this decision is rooted in security assessments. Rigid bottles are deemed to carry risk of being used as projectiles that could be thrown towards players, match officials, security personnel, or other attending supporters.

For this reason, regulations for reusable bottles remain completely unchanged, even as the rules for single-use plastic bottles have been adjusted.

Prior to this update, the total ban on personal water bottles inside stadiums had drawn cross-sector criticism. Public officials across host cities and football supporter groups had raised formal concerns over the health impacts for attending spectators.

This backlash emerged as the 2026 World Cup is scheduled to run during the Northern Hemisphere summer, with temperatures across multiple host regions forecast to reach dangerously high levels.

Numerous stakeholders had emphasised that reliable access to drinking water is a non-negotiable requirement for supporters who will spend multiple hours confined inside stadium premises during matches.

Beyond health risks, FIFA also faced public allegations that the water bottle ban was designed to inflate beverage sales inside stadium venues.

As publicly documented, all mineral water, soft drinks and fruit juices sold during the tournament are exclusively supplied by one of FIFA's principal global sponsors, The Coca-Cola Company.

The 2026 World Cup is already projected to face significant weather-related operational challenges. The tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, is expected to operate amid sustained high temperatures that may exceed 32 degrees Celsius at multiple host locations.

Alongside extreme heat, several host cities also face elevated risk of severe thunderstorms and lightning that may disrupt match schedules and compromise spectator safety and comfort.

Under these environmental conditions, ensuring adequate access to drinking water is identified as a critical operational priority, both to protect player physical condition and support the wellbeing of the millions of supporters expected to attend matches on-site.

With this revised policy, FIFA states it aims to address public health concerns for spectators while upholding the mandatory security standards implemented for the 2026 World Cup tournament.