Vuvuzelas are out. FIFA has formally banned the plastic horns — along with whistles, air horns, and any other excessively loud noise-making devices — from all 16 World Cup venues across the US, Canada, and Mexico this summer.
The prohibition sits inside FIFA's official stadium code of conduct, and it carries teeth: breach it and you're either refused entry or removed from the ground entirely.
The end of the drone
The vuvuzela had its moment. South Africa 2010 was defined by that inescapable wall of sound — a low, relentless buzz that split opinion sharply between those who loved the authenticity and those who found 90 minutes of it genuinely unbearable. Fourteen years on, FIFA has made its position clear.
It's a notable decision given that Mexico's opening match is against South Africa on 11 June. Whatever atmosphere the Mexicans generate inside that stadium, it won't include the horn that once soundtracked their opponents' greatest footballing moment.
The banned items list extends well beyond noise. Laser pointers and any instruments emitting laser beams are prohibited. Reusable water bottles are also banned — FIFA citing safety concerns — which will raise eyebrows given the environmental optics at a tournament that has faced scrutiny over its sustainability commitments.
What else is off the table
- Vuvuzelas, whistles, air horns and similar loud noise devices
- Laser pointers and laser-emitting instruments
- Reusable water bottles (safety grounds)
- Body paint or body tattoos as a substitute for clothing — streaking and flashing explicitly prohibited
The 48-team tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July. New Zealand face Iran in Los Angeles on 16 June. Whether the expanded format produces better football than the previous 32-team editions is already a live debate — at least the soundtrack will be slightly less divisive.
