Refreshing Respites: How FIFA World Cup 2026 Players Rehydrate and Recharge

FIFA will require mandatory hydration breaks during every match at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. All games will pause at the 22nd minute of each half for three-minute water breaks, regardless of weather conditions or stadium features.

The decision follows the same approach FIFA used during last summer's Club World Cup in the United States. But here's what makes this different - these breaks will happen in every single match, whether it's played in an air-conditioned dome or an open stadium in mild weather.

Manolo Zubiria, FIFA's tournament director, explained the reasoning: "There will be a three-minute hydration break in every match regardless of the host city, whether the stadium has a roof or not, and regardless of temperature." The goal is creating identical conditions for all teams throughout the tournament.

FIFA says player health and safety drive this decision. The 2026 tournament spans three countries with vastly different climates and weather patterns. Games will take place from June 11 to July 19, covering the peak summer months when temperatures can vary dramatically across North America.

The timing isn't random either. The 22nd-minute mark provides a natural midpoint in each half without disrupting the flow too much. Referees will have some flexibility - if a player gets injured around the 20th or 21st minute and play stops anyway, they can handle the hydration break as part of that stoppage.

This represents a shift from FIFA's previous approach, where cooling breaks only happened when temperatures and humidity reached specific thresholds. The 2014 World Cup in Brazil introduced these breaks during particularly hot matches, but they weren't universal.

The 2026 tournament will be the largest World Cup ever, with 48 teams competing across 16 cities. Managing player welfare across such a vast geographic area presents unique challenges that FIFA clearly wants to address proactively rather than reactively.