FIFA officials have done a bottle flip and announced that they are reversing their previously announced ban on reusable water bottles at World Cup matches.
A kind.
In an update published on social media, FIFA World Cup 2026 Chief Operating Officer Heimo Schirgi said fans will now be allowed to bring a factory-sealed 20-ounce (590 milliliter) soft, plastic water bottle into stadiums where matches are played.
Fans will not be allowed to bring any reusable hard-sided water bottles for safety reasons.
This will be in effect for games played in the United States and Canada. Schirgi didn’t mention Mexico, so it’s unclear at this point whether the change applies to stadiums there as well.
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Just three weeks ago, FIFA updated its code of conduct policy for North American nations, stating that “empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles of up to (1 liter) capacity may be brought into the stadium,” Reuters reported, but backtracked on Thursday, saying they were is no longer allowed and that fans will now have to buy bottled water at the venue.
There are 48 teams set to play in the World Cup that begins this month in Mexico City, with matches also to be hosted in 16 countries across North America, including Toronto and Vancouver.
–with file by Rachel Goodman
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
