{"id":201390,"date":"2026-06-15T10:04:46","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T10:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tahrir2day.com\/news\/2026\/06\/15\/world-cup-hydration-breaks-who-are-the-winners-and-losers\/"},"modified":"2026-06-15T10:04:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T10:04:46","slug":"world-cup-hydration-breaks-who-are-the-winners-and-losers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tahrir2day.com\/news\/2026\/06\/15\/world-cup-hydration-breaks-who-are-the-winners-and-losers\/","title":{"rendered":"World Cup hydration breaks – who are the winners and losers?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

It has become a familiar scene at World Cup games.<\/b><\/p>\n

The referee blows his whistle to stop the game 22 minutes into each half to allow players to rehydrate.<\/p>\n

The mandatory three-minute drinks break at all 104 games has been introduced to help players tackle stifling heat and humidity levels in Mexico, Canada and the United States.<\/p>\n

But not everyone is impressed.<\/p>\n

Some have described the breaks as commercial interruptions to appease US broadcasters.<\/p>\n

Hydration breaks even take place at grounds with retractable roofs with interior climate control.<\/p>\n

Asked about the stop in play in each half of every match, Mauricio Pochettino, the head coach of co-hosts USA, said: “I don’t like it. I only like it when the conditions are extreme.<\/p>\n

“But when the conditions are good, it is unnecessary.”<\/p>\n

So, who are the winners and the losers of the World Cup hydration breaks? And how have they affected the opening games?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

When Brazil’s players took on water midway through the first half at the New Jersey New York Stadium on Saturday, they deservedly trailed Morocco 1-0 after a lacklustre start.<\/p>\n

Six minutes after play resumed they were level.<\/p>\n

Yes, it was down to a moment of individual brilliance by Vinicius Jr after he cut back inside on to his right foot before lashing a brilliant strike into the roof of the net.<\/p>\n

But as Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged afterwards, the hydration break enabled him to deliver fresh instructions to his players and tweak the system.<\/p>\n

Having been second best, the five-time world champions suddenly had momentum.<\/p>\n

“You can explain a problem to the players,” the Italian coach said afterwards when asked what benefits could be achieved in the breaks.<\/p>\n

“[You can] make a tactical adjustment that can be very good.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

If hydration breaks are to help player welfare, should managers even be allowed to deliver fresh instructions?<\/p>\n

United States women’s boss Emma Hayes, speaking to ITV Sport, explained that stopping play for a break killed momentum for the team on top.<\/p>\n

“It’s advantageous for the team losing momentum – that’s why I call them momentum breaks,” she said.<\/p>\n

“When you’re on top, you don’t want it; when you’re losing, you do.<\/p>\n

“Sometimes it’s not even coaching [during the hydration break]. It’s about taking on fluid and calming players. Sometimes it can be doing nothing, but that can be considered coaching as well.<\/p>\n

“It’s a shame. I can understand it in really warm parts of the country, but it seems like it could be something that could here for good.”<\/p>\n

Like Brazil, Canada also equalised soon after a hydration break – this time in the second half – when substitute Cyle Larin cancelled out Bosnia-Herzegovina’s lead on Friday.<\/p>\n

Scotland scored the only goal of the game in a win over Haiti shortly after a break – while Australia grabbed their opener in similar circumstances in a 2-0 win against Turkey. <\/p>\n

Juan Mata, a World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, said he would have disliked a three-minute break in each half when he was playing.<\/p>\n

“As a player I don’t think it’s great,” he told ITV Sport.<\/p>\n

“When you’re losing, you want to score, and when you’re winning you want to keep the ball. I think they break the momentum.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

So who are the losers, besides fans who have forked out high prices for tickets to see free-flowing, entertaining football – only for the game to be stopped in each half?<\/p>\n

Well, World Cup debutants Curacao were in dreamland after equalising to make it 1-1 against Germany shortly before a first-half drinks break in Houston on Sunday.<\/p>\n

However, the smallest nation ever to play at the World Cup, by size and population, were not the same when play resumed and lost 7-1 after the drinks break allowed the Germans to regroup.<\/p>\n

The Czech Republic were on top during the first half against South Korea, but the hydration break abruptly ended that spell of pressure, and when play resumed, they lost momentum.<\/p>\n

Despite taking the lead, they ended up losing the game 2-1.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Netherlands led Japan 2-1 going into the second-half hydration break in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday. They failed to hold on and drew 2-2.<\/p>\n

Hydration breaks are not always the cause of these momentum shifts, of course.<\/p>\n

But the further we go into the tournament, the more it should become clear whether the interruptions are becoming a major factor.<\/p>\n

Former Arsenal and England forward Ian Wright made it clear where he stood on the breaks.<\/p>\n

“I just think it’s another way of getting adverts into it from an American point of view,” he said.<\/p>\n

US broadcaster Fox US overran adverts, external<\/span> during a hydration break in the opening match of the tournament between Mexico and South Africa.<\/p>\n

“They’ve used the fact that it’s for the players, but it’s not for me,” added Wright.<\/p>\n

While the breaks have their detractors, there are others who believe they are a positive introduction.<\/p>\n

“I am always interested in the health of my players. I think it’s the right measure, a pause, freshen up and continue,” said Spain boss Luis de la Fuente before his side’s opening game against debutants Cape Verde on Monday (17:00 BST).<\/p>\n

That match is taking place in Atlanta where the venue has a retractable roof and is temperature controlled.<\/p>\n

“Tomorrow, it’s chilled temperatures in the stadium,” added De la Fuente on Sunday.<\/p>\n

“Throughout the week, we’ve seen huge temperatures. It’s very difficult to be exposed to these temperatures for so long when you’re working.<\/p>\n

“In my opinion, the best thing to do is to drink lots of water. Take a break, let them breathe for a few seconds.<\/p>\n

“It’s not going to be that hot [on Monday] but we need to let them breathe and then one or two minutes to give them a couple of directions.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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