The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed during the Los Angeles stop of The FIFA World Cup 26 Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola at LA Live in Los Angeles on March 24, 2026. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP)

FIFA has banned fans from bringing refillable water bottles into World Cup venues in a last-minute policy change that will force thirsty supporters to pay for bottled water, The Athletic reported on Wednesday.

As recently as last month, FIFA’s official stadium code of conduct included a clause which read: “For the avoidance of doubt, empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles, up to (1 litre in) capacity, may be brought into the Stadium.”

However, The Athletic reported on Wednesday that those guidelines had now been tweaked to explicitly ban refillable bottles.

“For the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be brought into the stadium,” an updated stadium code of conduct reads.