FIFA Defends Mandatory Hydration Breaks at 2026 World Cup

Overview

• FIFA has scheduled two three-minute hydration breaks per match, roughly at the 22nd and 67th minutes, and says the time lost is fully added to stoppage time.
• The rule is applied to every game, including covered and air‑conditioned stadiums, so FIFA says all teams get the same tactical opportunity to use the pause.
• On Tuesday, Gianni Infantino defended the measure as driven by heat and a compressed schedule that can force teams to play up to eight matches in 39 days and denied the pauses bring FIFA extra revenue.
• Broadcasters in some countries have used the pauses for full commercial breaks, creating new ad inventory that analysts estimate could be worth hundreds of millions to rights holders even though FIFA says its contracts predated the rule.
• Coaches, players and parts of the crowd have criticized the interruptions for breaking match rhythm, while FIFA says the breaks help player recovery and may raise intensity; the organisation will assess feedback and match data before deciding on future use.