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New Delhi: In December last year, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada six months away, FIFA announced hydrations breaks in both halves of the game. Similar breaks were introduced in 2014 and then selectively taken four years ago in Qatar where the temperatures reached 30 degrees Celsius.“For every game, no matter where the games are played, no matter if there’s a roof, (or) temperature-wise, there will be a three-minute hydration break. It will be three minutes from whistle to whistle in both halves,” said Manolo Zubiria, Chief Tournament Officer, USA, for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As was made clear by FIFA, the breaks were to be taken whether the outside temperature was 15 degrees or 35-40 degrees Celsius. After the first 24 matches, two games were categorised with ‘severe heat’ as per the wet-bulb index: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay (in Miami) and Sweden vs Tunisia (in Monterrey). Other games that witnessed searing heat were: Germany vs Curacao (in Houston), Portugal vs Congo (in Houston), the Netherlands vs Japan (in Dallas) and England vs Croatia (in Dallas).Now referees promptly halt play in the 22nd minute of both halves regardless of the weather, stadium type (roofed or not), conditions. The referee blows the whistle and the players head to the sidelines for water.While seemingly introduced as a player welfare measure, the holes are evident and the field is divided. USA coach Mauricio Pochettino said, “I don’t like it. I only like it when the conditions are extreme. But when the conditions are good, it is unnecessary.”England manager Thomas Tuchel is not a fan either. “I think that it interrupts and changes the identity of a football match much more than I thought. I had hydration breaks before when it was really, really hot and needed, but they were shorter,” Tuchel said.“They were shorter and they were just in a few matches. In the interests of fairness here, it is now done in every match for every team. It breaks the match almost in four quarters. And I think it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought.”
Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa talks to his players during a hydration break in a World Cup Group H match against Saudi Arabia in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP)
Uruguay’s Marcelo Bielsa echoed Tuchel’s thoughts on the game being broken. “This change of culture does not add anything and takes away a lot. I will just say that before this decision, football had a characteristic, now it has another,” said Bielsa.“As a player, it can work both ways,” Belgium’s Youri Tielemans said. “In some cities, it’s not that hot and maybe we shouldn’t do it. But at the end of the day, if you do it in some cities, you should do it for everyone.”
An illustration of the hydration breaks that are being followed in all matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (TimesofIndia.com Illustration)
French striker Kylian Mbappe remained neutral. “Hydration breaks? Don’t ask us players for our opinion, we’re very reactionary,” he said. “If tomorrow we’re dominating at the 25th minute and there’s a hydration break, we’ll be angry.”“Because it breaks our rhythm, but if the weather is hot, or we’re being dominated, I’ll be happy.”Paraguay’s coach Gustavo Alfaro hit out at FIFA for the commercial intrusion that is the hydration break.“It’s a commercial break, not a hydration break,” he said. “The game is getting out of hand.”7hrs, 30 minutes, 40 seconds of more ad time
Signage for a hydration break is displayed during the World Cup Group F match between the Netherlands and Japan in Arlington, Texas. (AP)
During the hydration breaks, the broadcasters are allowed to cut to adverts 20 seconds after the referee blows the whistle and must return 30 seconds before the restart.That’s an advertisement opportunity of four minutes and 20 seconds per match or seven hours, 30 minutes and 40 seconds throughout the 104-game tournament.Fox Corporation, which has reportedly paid nearly $500 million to broadcast the World Cup in the USA, breached these guidelines during the tournament opener featuring Mexico and South Africa.
How the hydration breaks are more than just a player welfare measure. (TimesofIndia.com illustration/NotebookLM)
Fox overran their advertisements by 40 seconds and missed returning to live footage when the game got underway. However, the broadcaster avoided a fine.USA alone could account for over $250 million (Rs 2367.91 crore) in advertisement revenue during hydration breaks. Globally it could reach a billion dollars, say experts.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente talks with players during a hydration break in the World Cup Group H match between Spain and Cape Verde in Atlanta. (AP)
In India, advertising inventory for a 10-second spot on Zee, the official broadcaster, is reported at Rs 2.25 lakh to Rs 2.75 lakh. There’s slots for pre-game, post-game, half-time and these hydration breaks as well.BBC Sport have reported that a 30-second ad spot on Fox Sports costs between $200,000 (Rs 1.89 crore) and $300,000 (Rs 2.84 crore). It can climb to $750,000 (Rs 7.10 crore) during USA matches and the final stages.Ads are being shown around the world during these hydration breaks. India, Mexico, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Australia, the Gulf Countries and the sub-Saharan Africa, all have witnessed advertisements.
USA alone could account for over $250 million in advertisement revenue during the hydration breaks. Globally it could reach a billion dollars
Experts
Some broadcasters have opted against turning to adverts. BBC in the UK does not show ads; Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo and UK’s ITV have also opted against going to ads. However, ITV are also restricted by the national regulator.Fox Sports have also experimented with their approach. During the Mexico vs South Korea game, the broadcaster used a split screen of live stadium footage and advertisements. Elsewhere, they have also shown full-screen ads.Managers use breaks to change strategy
Brazil’s Vinicius Junior (7) celebrates a goal against Morocco. (AP Photo)
Brazil were trailing Morocco 1-0 after a poor start. Six minutes after the hydration break, Vinicius Jr. cut back to his right foot and curled the ball into the roof of the net. Individual brilliance, no doubt, but manager Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged later that the hydration break allowed him to change approach.“You can explain a problem to the players,” the Italian manager said when asked how the breaks can benefit a team. “[You can] make a tactical adjustment that can be very good.”Not just Brazil. Canada called out Bosnia-Herzegovina’s lead soon after the break in a 1-1 draw. Scotland scored shortly after the break in 1-0 win over Haiti. Australia opened the scoring right after the break in 2-0 victory against Turkey.
The games are being impacted at the 2026 World Cup due to the hydration breaks. (TimesofIndia.com Illustration)
Unlike the conventional half-time breaks, managers can use the hydration breaks to regroup and change strategy. What was a game of two halves, has become one of four quarters.As per statistics firm Driblab, in the first 28 matches, or 56 breaks, 24 shifts in momentum were recorded after the restart. Four out of 10 stoppages led to a reversal in the flow of a game. And in 20 more breaks, the team that was dominating — like England against Croatia — started to sizzle out after the first break. Spain, who were heroically held to a stalemate by Cape Verde, were also pegged back after the second break.In all, 44 of the 56 breaks after the 28 matches — or 78.6% of cases — disrupted the momentum of the matches because of the break.
France head coach Didier Deschamps talks with Kylian Mbappe (10) in the hydration break during the World Cup match against Iraq in Philadelphia. (AP)
India defender Sandesh Jhingan, who plays for FC Goa in the Indian Super League, suggested that it should be applied according to conditions and even then the tactical changes shouldn’t be discussed.“There needs to be a certain rule that only if the temperature is this much, then we’ll have a break but a shorter break. And then the players are not allowed to go out to huddle up and the tactics board comes out. That shouldn’t be allowed,” said Jhingan, who is an expert on Zee5, to TimesofIndia.com.“Maybe just have a water trolley come in quickly, like five yards into the field, you shouldn’t be allowed to leave the touchline.So everyone stays there on the one side. Only the water comes in, quick sip, boom, you go. I think that would be the way forward.”He also argued that three minutes was a long period for the game to be disrupted.“Three minutes in the footballing world is a whole lot of time. It’s literally 7 to 8 attacks can happen in three minutes.“Why we love this sport is because when you’re tired, when you’re that exhausted, your brain is over fatigued. Your heart rate is at 170-180. The game opens up because you make some wrong decisions. And that’s what excites the people. Now you take that away.“After 22-23 minutes you have a break of three minutes. You can prepare yourself again. Move the tactics. And again you start playing. So you keep on nullifying each other.”
