World Cup Hydration Breaks: Who Are the Winners and Losers?
A mandatory three-minute drinks break 22 minutes into each half has become a familiar sight at the 2026 World Cup. Coaches, players and pundits are divided over whether it helps or distorts the game.
T he referee blows his whistle 22 minutes into each half to let players rehydrate. The mandatory three-minute break at all 104 games has been introduced to help players cope with the heat and humidity in Mexico, Canada and the United States. Not everyone is impressed, and some call them commercial interruptions to suit US broadcasters. The breaks even happen at venues with retractable roofs and climate control.
Momentum breaks
When Brazil took on water midway through the first half against Morocco, they trailed 1-0 after a slow start. Six minutes after play resumed they were level through a brilliant Vinicius Jr strike. Boss Carlo Ancelotti said the stop let him deliver fresh instructions and tweak the system. "You can explain a problem to the players, make a tactical adjustment that can be very good," he said. United States women’s coach Emma Hayes told ITV Sport she calls them "momentum breaks": "It is advantageous for the team losing momentum. When you are on top you do not want it; when you are losing, you do."
The pattern so far
Canada also levelled soon after a break when Cyle Larin cancelled out Bosnia and Herzegovina’s lead. Scotland scored shortly after a break to beat Haiti, and Australia opened the scoring in similar circumstances against Turkey. On the flip side, Curacao equalised against Germany just before a first-half break in Houston, then conceded heavily after it to lose 7-1. The Czech Republic were on top against Korea Republic before a break ended their pressure and they lost 2-1. The Netherlands led Japan 2-1 going into the second-half break and were pegged back to 2-2.
For and against
Juan Mata, a 2010 World Cup winner, said as a player he would have disliked the stoppages: "When you are losing, you want to score; when you are winning, you want to keep the ball. They break the momentum." Former England forward Ian Wright was blunter: "It is another way of getting adverts into it from an American point of view." But Spain coach Luis de la Fuente backed them: "I am always interested in the health of my players. A pause, freshen up and continue. The right measure." His side opened against Cape Verde in a temperature-controlled stadium in Atlanta.
Reporting: based on reporting by BBC Sport (Neil Johnston), June 15, 2026.