FIFA Publishes Stadium Code Of Conduct Ahead Of World Cup Group A Fixtures

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The tournament kicks off on 11 June in Mexico City, where Bafana Bafana take on hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in the opening match, their first World Cup appearance since they hosted it in 2010.

Fans following the team through Group A will cross into Mexico twice, for the opener in Mexico City on June 11 and the South Korea clash in Monterrey on June 24, with the Czechia game in Atlanta in between.

Fifa's Stadium Code of Conduct sets a tight list of prohibited items designed to speed up security checks and protect the millions of fans expected at games.

Here are the five everyday items every World Cup fan should leave at home, or at the hotel.

1. Vapes and e-cigarettes

This one is especially important for Bafana fans, because two of South Africa's three group games are in Mexico, which now has one of the toughest vape laws on earth.

Vapes are also banned inside stadiums across all three host nations, with most venues confiscating them at the gate. Seattle's Lumen Field, for example, explicitly bans "cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vape pens and smokeless tobacco" in all areas.

But Mexico is the real danger. Unlike South Africa, where vapes are sold legally, Mexico introduced a nationwide ban on vapes on 16 January 2026, becoming the first country in the world to write such a ban into its constitution. It is now illegal to bring a vape into Mexico at all.

Customs officers use X-ray scanners to detect lithium batteries in luggage, and a single device means confiscation and a fine, while carrying several can be treated as trafficking, with fines climbing to around US$12,500 and prison sentences of up to eight years.

Shane Margereson, a vape expert at ecigone, said: "South African fans are used to buying vapes freely at home, so this will catch a lot of people out. In the US and Canada, vapes will simply be confiscated at the stadium gate. But Mexico is a completely different story. It is now illegal to even bring a vape into the country, and with Bafana playing two of their three group games there, in Mexico City and Monterrey, this affects a huge number of travelling fans.

"My advice is simple. Do not pack a vape for the Mexico legs of the trip, do not try to buy one out there, and if you rely on vaping to stay off cigarettes, plan ahead with legal alternatives like nicotine gum or patches, and speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you fly."

2. Bags and backpacks, you will be turned away

Fifa is enforcing one of the strictest bag policies in tournament history. Only small clear plastic bags (4.5L freezer bags up to 27 by 27cm, or clear PVC up to 30 by 30 by 15 cm) and the smallest non-clear wallets (no bigger than 16 by 11cm) will be allowed in.

Backpacks, handbags and totes will be turned away, and FIFA has confirmed there is no bag check service at any stadium, so anything non-compliant has to go back to your hotel. There is no fine, but you could miss kick-off.

3. Food, drink, bottles, and cans confiscated at the gate

Outside food and drink are not permitted in any World Cup stadium, including bottled water, cans, glass bottles, coolers and packed meals. Fans can bring one empty clear plastic bottle, up to one litre, to fill at water stations inside. Anything else is confiscated at security.

4. Umbrellas, folding chairs and seat cushions, confiscated at the gate

Surprisingly strict. Umbrellas of any size, even small folding ones, are banned because they can be used as weapons. So are portable folding chairs, seat cushions with zips or pockets, and prams. Wear sun protection and a hat instead, and a flat seat cushion without pockets will usually be allowed.

5. Vuvuzelas, air horns and pyrotechnics, arrest for flares

The vuvuzela, the deafening sound that defined South Africa's 2010 World Cup and became a global symbol of the tournament, will not be allowed in. Fifa has banned all "excessive noise instruments," including vuvuzelas, air horns and bullhorns, all confiscated at the gate.

The consequences are far more serious for fireworks, flares and smoke bombs. Bringing pyrotechnics into a stadium is a criminal offence in all three host countries, and fans caught with them can expect to be ejected, arrested and potentially prosecuted.

Laser pointers and anything that could be thrown onto the pitch are also strictly prohibited.

What you can bring

Mobile phones, wallets, glasses, watches, sunscreen, hats and small flags (under 2m wide, no flagpoles) are all permitted.

Essential medication is allowed, with documentation for prescription items. Fans with dietary or medical needs can request exceptions through FIFA's accessibility team.

Some of these mistakes will just cost you the start of the match. Others could cost you a lot more.

View the Fifa World Cup 2026 Stadium Code of Conduct.