FIFA no longer letting fans bring refillable water bottles into World Cup stadiums

Organization says last-minute ban intended to protect safety of players, fans

With the World Cup and summer heat fast approaching, FIFA says it will no longer allow fans to bring their own water bottles into host stadiums for the tournament, drawing the ire of fans and host city politicians.

FIFA’s stadium rules had stated that fans could bring in a transparent, reusable bottle up to one litre.

The latest document dated Tuesday now states “for the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be brought into the stadium.”

In Toronto, where BMO Field normally allows empty, non-glass water bottles inside, city councillor Josh Matlow says he’s written to Toronto’s FIFA secretariat, asking her to push back on FIFA’s policy.

“They should be discussing this with us rather than just telling us, and also working toward a solution to ensure that people who are under the exposed sun in 30-degree or higher weather during a long game will have ready access to drinking water,” he said.

“This is just a basic health and safety issue.”

Mayor Olivia Chow told reporters Thursday that she would explore what city hall could do to push back against FIFA's policy, calling it "a pure money grab."

Environment Canada predicts 2026 will be one of the hottest years in recorded Canadian history.

FIFA decided to ban bottles from all host stadiums “to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees,” FIFA spokesperson Adam Steiss said in an email.

FIFA is working with each host city committee and local authorities to provide “heat mitigation factors” for fans on their way to the stadiums, like misting and water stations, fans and cooling tents, Steiss said.

Water will be sold at prices “consistent with other events held at each stadium,” he said.

How Toronto will keep people cool during the FIFA World Cup

Water, sodas and juices sold at World Cup stadiums will be supplied exclusively by long-time FIFA sponsor Coca-Cola when the tournament starts next Thursday.

But having to pay for water won’t go down easy for fans who have already had to pay for tickets that are going for hundreds of dollars at the low end, and thousands at the high end, Matlow said.

“These are regular people who are saving to finally see something that's important to them, to have that once-in-a-lifetime experience in their own city, and now they're going to be told to spend more money on a Coca-Cola product,” he said. “That’s just wrong.”

BMO Field, dubbed Toronto Stadium for the tournament, will still offer free water. There are drinking fountains at four sections of the 45,000-capacity stadium, according to the venue website.

But price isn't the only concern, said Emily Alfred, waste campaigner with Toronto Environmental Alliance.

"They're forcing us to buy plastic water bottles," she said, noting that if each fan in Toronto buys just one water per match, it would add up to over 250,000 single-use bottles over six matches.

"It's really disappointing to think about the amount of waste that's coming from this."

Ethan Lang is a reporter for CBC Toronto. Ethan has also worked in Whitehorse, where he covered the Yukon Legislative Assembly, and Halifax, where he wrote on housing and forestry for the Halifax Examiner.

With files from Naama Weingarten and The Associated Press