[Saba Sports News] According to The Athletic, FIFA has abruptly reversed its earlier policy ahead of the World Cup, barring fans from bringing reusable water bottles into stadiums. Three weeks ago, the tournament’s official FIFA code of conduct explicitly stipulated that empty, transparent reusable plastic bottles of no more than one litre were permitted inside venues. However, the clause was scrapped in the updated version released on June 2, which now states reusable water bottles are banned from stadium premises. The change stops supporters from refilling their own drinks at in-stadium water fountains. All other kinds of water containers are also prohibited over safety concerns that such items could be thrown and cause physical injury.
During last year’s Club World Cup hosted in the United States, bottled water was priced between four and six US dollars, sparking widespread backlash from fans. Thanks to FIFA’s long-standing commercial partnership with Coca-Cola, the company’s Dasani bottled water will be sold exclusively across World Cup stadiums.
Fan advocacy groups have criticised the adjustment, claiming the tournament prioritises corporate profits ahead of supporter welfare. They argue soaring ambient temperatures ought to be FIFA’s primary concern rather than pushing expensive bottled water sales.
In my view, the policy is widely regarded as a commercially motivated restriction disguised under safety pretexts. It neglects fans’ basic health requirements and lacks humanistic care, risking intensified conflicts between spectator experience and tournament commercialisation.