Mamdani Says He Will Follow Up as FIFA Changes Water Rule — Vuvuzela
Zohran Mamdani said he will follow up with FIFA after the organizer reversed its stadium water bottle policy one week before the World Cup. The change affects fans heading into matches in summer heat, where the mayor said he does not want anyone skimping on water because of the cost inside the venue.
Mamdani and FIFA
On Thursday afternoon at City Hall, the New York City mayor said he had just been alerted to the change and called it concerning. He said, “I was just alerted to that (Thursday) morning and it is concerning because the heat that we are talking about is not just the heat that the players are in, it is also the heat that spectators are going to be subjected to for arguably a longer period of time, as they will be there before the game starts and after the game finishes.”
Mamdani also said, “That is something that we are going to follow up (with FIFA) on to better understand the rationale. We don’t (want) anyone skimping on water because of the cost of water at the stadium, if they would otherwise be drinking. You (should) want to make it easier.”
FIFA’s reversal
FIFA informed World Cup ticket holders that reusable water bottles are no longer permitted at FIFA World Cup 2026 stadiums. That reverses an earlier rule that had allowed empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles up to 1 liter in capacity to be brought into the stadium.
The change landed one week before the start of the World Cup. It comes as the tournament is expected to be played in hot conditions, and a 52-page report published in May said approximately 26 of the 104 World Cup games are likely to be played when the host city's Wet Bulb Global Temperature exceeds 26 degrees Celsius, or 78.8°F. The same report said five games at the six-week tournament are likely to be played in conditions above 28°C, or 82.4°F.
Chow and Starmer
Toronto mayor Olivia Chow also pushed back, calling the change “a pure money grab.” She said FIFA should provide free water bottles for fans inside the venue and said city powers were limited because FIFA operates the stadium sites under its host agreements.
“That would be good,” Chow said of free bottles. She added, “That is a good gesture and further they could make special FIFA water bottles with free Toronto water.” UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also called on FIFA to reconsider, leaving the stadium water rule under pressure from multiple host-city and national leaders as fans prepare for matches.
