Why Are There Hydration Breaks at the 2026 World Cup? FIFA President explained
Gianni Infantino explains why mandatory hydration breaks were introduced at every game of the FIFA World Cup 2026 — from the equality of conditions to the health of the players.
FIFA has introduced mandatory hydration breaks at every game of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the president of the organization, Gianni Infantino, explained the reason behind the decision.
According to Infantino, the concept was already tested when FIFA organized the Club World Cup in the United States last year. "I know there is a lot of talk about hydration breaks, and the truth is — last year, we organized the FIFA Club World Cup here in the U.S., the first edition, and there were hydration breaks, which were only implemented in matches that were too hot. About 60% of the games had them then," said Infantino.
In World Cup 2026, the policy is different: all games will have hydration breaks, regardless of temperature or ambient conditions. These breaks are three-minute stops in the middle of each half, during which the current starting lineup can rest on the sidelines and drink.
<figure style="margin:2rem 0;overflow:hidden;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;background:#f9f9f9"><img src="https://a57.foxsports.com/statics.foxsports.com/www.foxsports.com/content/uploads/2026/07/1408/814/293cb906-artboard-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="Image" style="width:100%;height:auto;object-fit:contain" loading="lazy" /></figure>One of FIFA's main reasons for implementing this was the new format of the tournament — more games (104 compared to the previous 64) and a shorter interval. "So we decided — even before the tournament started, and we made it known — that every game should have hydration breaks," Infantino said. "Why? For every team in the entire tournament to have exactly the same conditions. It's a tournament that lasts 39 days. If you want to win, you have to settle for eight games. It's big for top professional players."
Some worry that the breaks could disrupt the game's momentum, but Infantino made it clear that it's also a big part of protecting the players' health. "To rest for three minutes ... gives a lot of energy back. We also see it in games, especially in the last 20 minutes of the match," he said. "The games are being played at an intensity we've never seen before. So I believe it's a big help."
After the tournament, FIFA will reflect on the impact of the hydration breaks to see if they helped the flow of the game or not. "Of course, we will evaluate after the World Cup whether it is good or bad. But the flow of the game and the intensity have definitely increased a lot," added Infantino.
Photo: Belgium players participate in a hydration break during their match against Egypt in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.
