What happened to vuvuzelas? Explaining 2026 World Cup ban of horns synonymous with South African soccer

Vuvuzelas were often the center of attention during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when South African fans brought out the plastic horn in droves and drowned out all other sounds inside stadiums during the tournament.

The noisemakers became controversial, with fans and players alike complaining about the noise level and raising concerns about hearing damage for those in close proximity to vuvuzelas.

As the World Cup takes over North America, don't expect to hear the sound of the vuvuzela on the world stage.

Here's what you need to know about the World Cup's vuvuzela ban.

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World Cup vuvuzela ban, explained


Vuvuzelas are banned by FIFA for the 2026 World Cup, but the ban isn't anything new. The organization first banned vuvuzelas for the 2014 World Cup after they generated controversy at the 2010 tournament.

While Iranian fans were able to get some vuvuzelas into the stadium and make noise at the 2018 World Cup, the horn has remained banned at the World Cup ever since.

The constant noise from vuvuzelas in and around the 2010 World Cup in South Africa drew heavy backlash, including from players.

"We can't sleep at night because of the vuvuzelas," France's Patrice Evra said at the time. "People start playing them from 6 a.m. We can't hear one another out on the pitch because of them."

While organic fan noise is something players simply have to deal with, vuvuzelas were loud enough that some raised concerns about unfair advantages and even potential hearing damage. The CDC noted in 2010 that a study found vuvuzelas were so loud within two feet of the horn that people could not be exposed to the sound for more than 45 seconds per day without risking hearing damage.

A ban was considered before the 2010 World Cup, but it instead took effect in 2014.

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What is a vuvuzela?


A vuvuzela is a long, plastic horn, typically about two feet long. The vuvuzela could be described as trumpet-like, and it produces a loud horn-like sound that has become synonymous with South African soccer.

The availability of vuvuzelas played a role in the instrument becoming impossible to ignore at the 2010 World Cup. Vuvuzelas can simply be made of plastic and generally aren't expensive, which made them so popular before FIFA's World Cup ban.

Why do South African soccer fans use vuvuzelas?


The modern day vuvuzela is a fairly new invention, but it became a staple of South African soccer in the 2000s and exploded onto the worldwide stage at the 2010 World Cup.

While the exact origin of vuvuzelas in South Africa is unclear, ABC News said in 2010 that some believe the horn-like noise it produces has a rich history in the country.

"Legend has it that the plastic horn harks back to a time when South African warriors blew antelope horns to call villagers to meetings, to announce their arrival at battles or to strike fear in the hearts of heir opponents," the outlet reported.

Are all instruments banned at World Cup?

While some small instruments are allowed at the World Cup, FIFA's code of conduct also bans "whistles, air horns and other excessively loud noise-making devices," according to Reuters.

Any device that produces a laser beam or laser effect is also banned from stadiums during the tournament.