Topline<\/p>\n
The 2026 World Cup has sparked a divide with the inclusion of hydration breaks at this year\u2019s games, with players, coaches and observers expressing mixed feelings about how the breaks disrupt the competitive flow of matches and interrupt games with advertisements.<\/p>\n
Kylian Mbappe #10 of France looks on during a hydration break in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal.<\/p>\n
Photo by Hannah Peters – FIFA\/FIFA via Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n
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\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Virgil van Dijk, star defender for the Netherlands, jabbed at commercials airing during the hydration breaks and said it\u2019s \u201cnot great,\u201d for neutral fans watching on TV and that the breaks would be useful for hot conditions but, \u201cI think you have to look at it in every game, separately, in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emma Hayes, the head coach of the U.S. women’s national team, characterized the hydration breaks as \u201cmomentum breaks,\u201d acknowledging their usefulness for teams on the backfoot and noting, \u201cIt\u2019s a shame\u2026 but it seems like it could be something that could be here for good,\u201d according to ESPN<\/a>.<\/p>\n U.S. men\u2019s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters<\/a> he does not like the water breaks, adding, \u201cI only like it when the conditions are extreme, but when the conditions are good, it is unnecessary.\u201d<\/p>\n Hydration Breaks And Advertisements<\/p>\n Fox, one of the U.S. broadcasters covering the World Cup, shows advertisements during the breaks while streaming platform Peacock, which shows Telemundo\u2019s Spanish-language broadcasts, does not show full-screen commercial breaks. A commercial break taken by Fox during the World Cup\u2019s opening game went over the allotted hydration break time by 40 seconds, though FIFA has decided it will not punish the broadcaster<\/a> for missing gametime. Fans on social media have raised concerns the hydration breaks were being used by networks to capitalize on advertising revenue.<\/p>\n Contra<\/p>\n Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann told reporters after his team\u2019s 7-1 rout of Cura\u00e7ao that the water break helped \u201cto simply reiterate what we had already adjusted on the board,\u201d referring to Germany\u2019s adjustments to Cura\u00e7ao\u2019s unorthodox formation. Alexei Lalas, former American soccer player and Fox Sports commentator, said<\/a> Monday he has \u201cno problem\u201d with the hydration breaks, acknowledging it \u201cchanges how you play\/coach\/watch\u201d but that it is a win-win for players and advertisers. \u201cThere will be a generation whose version of the beautiful game includes quarters,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n Tangent<\/p>\n The removal or censorship of sponsored products and stadiums at the World Cup has caught the attention of viewers and media. FIFA\u2019s clean stadium policy removes all non-approved branding from host venues, resulting in food and drink logos being covered and stadiums being renamed. In a press box at Santa Clara, California\u2019s Levi\u2019s Stadium, which has been renamed to \u201cSan Francisco Bay Area Stadium\u201d under FIFA\u2019s rules, condiment bottles were taped over<\/a> to cover their respective brands. Levi\u2019s Stadium leaned into the temporary renaming of its venue, saying in a social media post<\/a>, \u201cWelcoming the world to the beautiful [redacted] stadium!\u201d <\/p>\n Key Background<\/p>\n The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup hosted in the U.S. was the catalyst for the hydration breaks at this year\u2019s World Cup. During the 2025 competition, temperatures in host cities reached as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Atl\u00e9tico Madrid player Marcos Llorente told reporters<\/a>, \u201cMy toes were sore, even my toenails were hurting,\u201d though he said there was \u201cno excuse\u201d because the weather was \u201cthe same for everyone.\u201d Temperatures at some of this year\u2019s matchups have reached high 80s and low 90s in states like New Jersey, Philadelphia and Texas. FIFA has not yet confirmed if it will make the hydration breaks a permanent rule for future competitions.<\/p>\n Further Reading<\/p>\n