World Cup Hydration Breaks Are Dividing Teams And Observers—Here’s Why
Key takeaways
- The rule divides games into a total of three breaks, or four quarters, a significant difference from the singular 15-minute break taken in the middle of typical 90-minute matches.
- U.S. men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters he does not like the water breaks, adding, “I only like it when the conditions are extreme, but when the conditions are good, it is unnecessary.”
- A commercial break taken by Fox during the World Cup’s opening game went over the allotted hydration break time by 40 seconds, though FIFA has decided it will not punish the broadcaster for missing gametime.
Topline The 2026 World Cup has sparked a divide with the inclusion of hydration breaks at this year’s games, with players, coaches and observers expressing mixed feelings about how the breaks disrupt the competitive flow of matches and interrupt games with advertisements.
Kylian Mbappe #10 of France looks on during a hydration break in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal.Photo by Hannah Peters - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images Key Facts Following the sweltering 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the U.S. last year, FIFA introduced the three-minute hydration breaks, which take place midway through the two halves of each game and are taken regardless of weather or temperature conditions at this year’s World Cup.
The rule divides games into a total of three breaks, or four quarters, a significant difference from the singular 15-minute break taken in the middle of typical 90-minute matches.