Every match at the 2026 World Cup will be paused for a three-minute “hydration break” in each half, FIFA has announced.
FIFA said the measures have been made to “prioritise player welfare”, with each match paused at the 22-minute mark and again 22 minutes into the second half. It 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.
A number of players and managers complained about the playing conditions, with PSG manager Luis Enrique saying “it’s impossible to perform at a very high level for 90 minutes” in such temperatures.
FIFA said the decision comes after consultation with coaches and broadcasters, with discussions taking place over the weekend. It reportedly received support from all parties, including FIFA’S medical team.
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.
Group matches have been scheduled in order to “minimise travel for teams and fans” and “maximise rest days between matches for all participating nations” with England and Scotland’s group games set to take place across the eastern USA in Dallas, Boston, New York and Miami.
Heat breaks were first introduced at World Cup ahead of the 2014 tournament in Brazil, following player welfare concerns.
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