The 2026 World Cup has brought plenty of unforgettable moments in its first week and a half, but for three minutes in the middle of every half, it all comes to a standstill.
That is thanks to the newly-implemented hydration breaks that are a part of every match at this year’s tournament after FIFA introduced them last December to “prioritise player welfare” during matches, according to ESPN. Water breaks had been in place at previous tournaments in cases of extreme heat, but this year’s World Cup features the breaks at every match, including in air-conditioned venues like Dallas Stadium.
The addition of hydration breaks has proven controversial, with loud jeers breaking out at the outset of both breaks during Monday’s Argentina-Austria match and at other tournament matches.
The breaks have been criticized on various grounds since matches began. Some see it as a move that allows FIFA’s broadcast partners to benefit financially from airing additional advertising during games. Others have criticized its impact on the game, with match momentum at times shifting between teams on either side of the break.
“I like the hydration break,” Rangnick said through an interpreter after the match. “Even if in this air-conditioned stadium a hydration break wasn’t really necessary. But it gives us coaches the opportunity to tweak some things and to give some messages to our players and we will try to use this.”
“That is why I am generally not against the hydration break.”
Rangnick even went one step further, saying he is excited about the possibility of implementing hydration breaks in Europe during matches in international and club play.
If the jeers of a sold-out Dallas Stadium are any indication, Rangnick might struggle to find support for that proposal once the World Cup is over.