World Cup hydration breaks, explained: What to know about FIFA's controversial pauses for 2026
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World Cup hydration breaks, explained: What to know about FIFA's controversial pauses for 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The World Cup is underway, and so are FIFA's hydration breaks.
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The new addition to the matches — and the broadcasts — is intended for the players and fans but isn't popular with fans, to say the least.
Here's what you need to know about hydration breaks and why FIFA's new rule change has generated controversy.
MORE:Breaking down the new World Cup rules for 2026
World Cup hydration breaks rules change
FIFA implemented mandatory three-minute pauses during each half of World Cup matches, labeled "hydration breaks," for the 2026 tournament.
According to FIFA, hydration breaks were implemented in anticipation of high temperatures throughout the World Cup, though not every host stadium is outdoors. The breaks extend to all 104 matches and occur 22 minutes into each half, though they can start slightly earlier in the event of an unrelated stoppage.
This is the first time FIFA has made hydration breaks mandatory at the World Cup. In past tournaments, certain matches were subject to breaks depending on temperature or the referee's decision.
When announcing the rule, FIFA said the impact of the heat during last year's Club World Cup in the United States was a factor. Hydration breaks are "part of a focused attempt to ensure the best possible conditions for players, drawing upon the experiences of previous tournaments, including the recent FIFA Club World Cup," FIFA said.
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What are hydration breaks in soccer?
Hydration breaks in the World Cup are three-minute pauses during each half to allow players to hydrate and avoid becoming overheated. While not every World Cup game will be played in an open-air stadium, the breaks were implemented across each match to ensure competitive balance across the board.
During the three-minute pause, players can hydrate while TV networks are allowed to run commercials in a departure from the way World Cup matches have been presented in the past.
When did hydration breaks start in soccer?
Cooling breaks, at the discretion of the referee, were allowed during the World Cup in 2014 and 2022, as well as during the Euro 2020 tournament. Hydration breaks first started in earnest at the Club World Cup in 2025, but the 2026 World Cup is the first time FIFA has mandated a pause during the middle of a half.
Rather than referees determining whether to pause the half, fans can expect each half to pause after about 22 minutes for players to hydrate regardless of the temperature or the venue.
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Why FIFA hydration pauses are controversial
FIFA's announcement earlier in 2026 that TV networks would be allowed to run commercials during hydration breaks gave away a major motivation behind the rule change, in the eyes of some fans.
While player safety is undoubtedly a priority for all, some fans believe three-minute hydration breaks are a way for networks to sneak more ads into the broadcast. Fox took advantage in the World Cup's opening match, running commercials during the two hydration breaks and at one point missing some live action.
Some believe the breaks simply break up the match in a way that isn't traditional to the sport, which is played with two 45-minute halves. With hydration breaks in the middle of each half, the cadence of a World Cup match might resemble the four-quarter setup of basketball or football in the United States.