Last December, FIFA announced that hydration breaks they would be mandatory in all matches of the 2026 World Cup. It was feared, due to the weather conditions in the United States, Mexico and Canada during the months of June and July, that it would be the hottest World Cup in history. FIFPRO, in fact, pointed out that three matches at the last Club World Cup should have been suspended due to high temperatures. And yet, with the tournament already started, These stoppages have become a kind of debate about the state of the nation, with opinions and positions of all kinds.
The reason is very simple: it has the same break (three minutes) a match that is played outdoors and under scorching heat, than one that is held in Toronto at night (Ghana-Panama, for example, had an average temperature of 19 degrees) or in a stadium with a retractable roof (Houston, Dallas…) and a heated temperature. In these, in fact, it is better to go with a jacket just in case.
“In every game, regardless of where it is played, If there is a roof or the temperature is less high, there will be a three-minute hydration break,” declared Manolo Zubiria, United States Tournament Director for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Therefore, it is not something improvised… but it is a fact that has surprised many fans, and not even all the protagonists (coaches or footballers) have run in favor.
In each match, regardless of where it is played, there will be a three-minute hydration break
Marcelo Bielsa, during a hydration break with Uruguay.
Four-stroke matches
“I don’t like it; I only like it when the conditions are extreme. But when conditions are good, it is unnecessary,” declared the United States coach, Mauricio Pochettino.
I don’t like; I only like it when the conditions are extreme
A point that also made Mikel Merino: “In many stadiums that are closed and where it is not too hot, the game stops and that is not good for the fans; the game slows down and becomes more predictable. It has a big impact, coaches can make adjustments and change the dynamic. “We will have to adapt well to that.”
It’s not good for the fans; the game slows down and becomes more predictable
The feeling that the ‘hydration pause’ is mutating into a ‘tactical pause’ is increasingly widespread… not to mention a real situation: In the United States, all sports are geared towards watching on TV and have numerous breaks to insert advertising. Football, on the other hand, was different… until now. Even Virgil van Dijk has made this point: “The hydration breaks are a bit curious, because obviously I was watching almost all the games until today, and Every time they go to advertising it’s a little… It’s not that I like it very much. I think for neutral viewers on TV it’s not great either.”
I’ve been watching almost all the games until today, and every time they go to advertising it’s a little… It’s not that I like it very much
Carlos Queiroz talks to the Ghana players during a break.
And of course, the matches have been divided into four-half matches in this World Cup. “They change a lot our way of working as coaches, selectors and members of the technical staff. Before, tactical work was concentrated before the game, at half-time and after the game, facing the next match. Not now. There are now four interruptions. This represents a very important change, almost revolutionary, because the party is now divided into four parts,” stated Roberto Martínez, Portugal coach, at a press conference.
There are now four interruptions. This represents a very important change, almost revolutionary.
Debate between the selectors
‘Bob’ Martínez adds, however, that his role is not to value it, but to take advantage of it. And he sees it as good to be able to give more instructions to his players. Furthermore, he points out a key aspect in his opinion: All matches must have the same conditions in the game. “For the competition to be fair and maintain its integrity, all matches should have these breaks,” he argues.
And yet, although there are dissenting voices, the majority of technicians are in favor. Luis de la Fuente, for example: “In extreme conditions it is the right thing to do, it is a break to recover. It is true that tomorrow, with the temperatures there will be (inside the stadium), it may not be necessary. But we’ve all seen the temperatures in Chattanooga (Spain’s training camp), the humidity… These breaks allow us to recover energy.”
In extreme conditions it is the right thing to do, it is a break to recover
Argentina’s players cool off during a break.
But there are voices, like those of ‘Poche’ or Nestor Lorenzo, Colombia coach, who ask to treat each match independently: “If the temperature rises from 30 to 35 degrees, as happened to us in the Copa América, I believe that a break to hydrate is correct and beneficial for the player to rehydrate and return to the game. However, when these pauses last three, four or five minutes, I feel like they lose the true essence of hydration and become something else.”
When these pauses last three, four or five minutes, I feel like they lose the true essence of hydration…
And, in fact, the Colombian coach gives a quite graphic example about How hydration breaks have resulted in mere commercial spaces for television: “I noticed that in the beginning when hydration breaks were announced, you would see the coach talking to the players; now, they are all commercial breaks, which means there is a different purpose behind them. I would like to wonder if that was the initial intention or if it was really about the well-being of the players and nothing more. That’s a question we all need to ask ourselves.”
At first, when hydration breaks were announced, the coach was seen talking to the players; Now, they’re all commercial breaks.
Be the smartest in the class
Roberto Martínez already said it before the World Cup premiere of ‘his’ Portugal: “Our role is not to assess whether this is good or bad, but to take advantage of it. It’s a tool we can use.” And many selectors, whether or not they complain at a press conference, do it.
Our role is not to assess whether this is good or bad, but to take advantage of it
Harry Kane, on a hydration break.
He gave an example NagelsmannGerman coach, when he took advantage of the break to change the dynamics of Germany – Curacao, 1-1 at that time with the match just tied by the Caribbean. “We needed some time, The water break helped us review what we had already adjusted on the board,” he acknowledged.
The water break helped us review what we had already adjusted
“It is important to be able to give these two additional opportunities to the coach,” agrees Deschamps. The game, of course, has changed in this World Cup… and whether or not there is debate, whether or not you are in favor of the measure taken by FIFA, it is not going to change during this World Cup. It is only up to the selectors to know whether or not to take advantage of it.
