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Every game at next summer’s 2026 World Cup will feature a hydration break near the midway point of the first and second halves, announced FIFA. Even games played at indoor venues like Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Arlington’s AT&T Stadium will be stopped for three-minute hydration breaks.
World Cup games will be halted at the 22nd minute mark as well as the 67th minute for players to take a break and hydrate.
World Cup hydration breaks
Players at @FIFAWorldCup 2026 will benefit from three-minute hydration breaks in each half as FIFA prioritises player welfare at next year's tournament:
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) December 8, 2025
Water breaks are nothing new for FIFA with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil seeing the first editions of the pauses in play for hydration. The 2022 edition in Qatar saw cooling breaks with the policy being that if the temperature was hotter than 89 degrees Fahrenheit then the game would be paused at 30 minutes in each half.
FIFA stated that this new practice of pausing every game of the 2026 World Cup was to “prioritize player welfare.”
A growing number of fans disagree and argue that this new move from FIFA is a clever scheme to sneak in two more slots for commercials.
“Hydration Breaks will be imposed in all matches, regardless of weather conditions.” ..
AKA Commercial Breaks. FIFA is using “safety” measures to surely get away with airing advertisements in the middle of every game.The Game Is Gone. https://t.co/5fOwn8iDP4
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) December 9, 2025
Advert breaks disguised as hydration stops.
Dynamic pricing with tickets costing thousands.Expanded to 48 teams.
Fake peace prizes for Donald Trump.
Infantino and FIFA constantly putting commercial interests ahead of match-going fans.
Determined to destroy our game. https://t.co/oqIkjg3BHR
— Derek Watson (@derekwatson89) December 8, 2025
A game of two halves becomes a game of four quarters. Fifa's 3-minute hydration breaks at all World Cup games help players in the heat, happen increasingly anyway with teams' tactical time-outs, are familiar to US audiences and are meat and (carbonated) drink for TV advertisers.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) December 8, 2025
It’s no secret that the 2026 World Cup will be FIFA’s most profitable tournament in history. Ticket prices for games are the highest in history. There’s also a new FIFA resale program where buyers can sell their tickets, but FIFA will receive a 30% cut of EVERY sale.
We can picture it already.
“With Argentina leading 2-0 we now pause for the 3-minute Coca-Cola cooling break! Coca-Cola! Cool off with a Coke!”
The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11 as Mexico host South Africa.
