Fifa announced on Tuesday that it will implement mandatory three minute hydration breaks in each half of every match at the 2026 World Cup, a tournament that will be staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico and is expected to expose players to high temperatures.
The governing body said the measure has been adopted to prioritise player welfare, with play set to pause at the 22 minute mark of both halves regardless of weather or stadium conditions. The interruption will effectively divide matches into four quarters, a change Fifa confirmed was made after consultation with coaches and broadcasters.
Manolo Zubiria, the chief tournament officer for the World Cup in the United States, said every match will include the break, whether the venue has a roof or not and whatever the temperature on the day.
Fifa described the new system as a simplified version of cooling breaks used in past competitions, including the 2025 Club World Cup. During that event, hydration stops were permitted only in extreme heat, with some fixtures reportedly reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit, around 38 degrees Celsius.
Players who took part in the Club World Cup spoke openly about the conditions. Benfica forward Andreas Schjelderup said after facing Bayern Munich that he had never played in such heat and that it did not feel healthy, even though he managed to cope. Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández added that he felt dizzy in one match, forcing him to lie on the ground, calling the conditions dangerous, very dangerous.
The 2026 World Cup will begin on 11 June, with the full tournament schedule already confirmed.
