FIFA announce there will be three-minute hydration breaks in each half of the 2026 World Cup

FIFA have confirmed that hydration breaks will be implemented in all fixtures at the 2026 World Cup.

The organisation will introduce the rule to “prioritise player welfare”, with each match paused at the 22-minute mark and again 22 minutes into the second half.

This means there will be two additional breaks per match, regardless of the temperature, the host country, or whether the stadium has air conditioning.

It follows similar action taken at this year’s Club World Cup, where the threshold for drinks breaks was lowered, and as some matches took place with temperatures reaching as high as 38 degree celsius.

In a statement on its website, Fifa called the measures “a streamlined and simplified version of the breaks used at some previous tournaments, including the Club World Cup”.

“There will be no weather or temperature condition in place, with the breaks being called by the referee in all games, to ensure equal conditions for all teams, in all matches,” the statement added.

“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 for the USA, when announcing the initiative.

The move comes just days after the full schedule for the tournament was announced on 6 December, with each nation learning their group stage opponents, venues and kick-off times last weekend.

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