Hydration or commercial breaks? Who are the real winners of the new FIFA World Cup 2026 rule?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has brought everything football fans could wish for. Stunning goals, tactical masterclasses, breakout stars and moments of pure drama lit up the sport’s biggest stage.

Now let me have the water and come back.

Awkward, right?

Well, that’s exactly the debate that’s raging around the World Cup right now. The mandatory three-minute break in each half, known as cooling or hydration breaks, has left fans, players, coaches and pundits sharply divided.

FIFA introduced a rule for the tournament whereby referees stop play around the 22nd minute of each half for a hydration break. Timeouts are enforced in every match, regardless of weather conditions or temperature, with referees overseeing the timing to ensure consistency throughout the competition.

FIFA also allowed broadcasters to use breaks by inserting advertisements to maximize revenue, a first in football. As a result, viewers suddenly find themselves in the middle of a world championship game of ad viewing.

In fact, football began to resemble a four-quarter sport rather than a game of two uninterrupted halves.

But is it really necessary? This is a question that many ask themselves.

RUIN THE FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE?

Football thrives on pace.

A comeback is rarely built in a single moment. It comes through sustained pressure, possession and players gradually finding their rhythm. A team chasing a goal often relies on maintaining intensity and forcing mistakes from opponents who are starting to tire.

This is why many believe that the essence of the game is compromised by these interruptions.

Just as the contest reaches a crescendo and key players begin to find their groove, the referee blows his whistle and everyone heads for the sideline.

And it’s not just the fans who feel that way.

Players and coaches have openly questioned the necessity of hydration breaks in matches where the conditions are far from extreme.

“I think the hydration breaks are a bit interesting because of course I watched almost all the games. Every time, going to commercial is not something I really like,” Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk told reporters.

“I think it’s not great for neutral viewers on TV either. So if it’s really hot, of course it’s going to be good to have them. But I think you have to look at it game by game.”

USA coach Mauricio Pochettino echoed similar sentiments, saying breaks only make sense when the weather really calls for them.

“I don’t like it. I only like it when the conditions are extreme,” the USMNT boss said.

“But when the conditions are good, it’s unnecessary.”

The United States boasts several stadiums with retractable roofs and air conditioning systems that allow players to play in comfortable conditions regardless of the weather outside.

A CHANCE FOR COACHES TO RECALIBRATE THEMSELVES?

Brazil had no answers against Morocco before the hydration break came at the perfect time.

The break gave Carlo Ancelotti the opportunity to gather his players and give tactical instructions.

Shortly after play resumed, Brazil found an equalizer through Vinicius Jr. and finally saved the point.

“You can explain the problem to the players,” Ancelotti said afterwards when asked about the benefits of breaks.

“(You can) make a tactical adjustment that can be very good.”

For coaches, the stoppage effectively acts as a tactical timeout, a rare opportunity in football to reset shape, tweak strategy and disrupt the opposition’s rhythm.

Managers have traditionally relied on injuries or long layoffs to get messages on the field. They now have a guaranteed window twice in each game.

But these shifts in momentum don’t always work to everyone’s advantage.

Curacao were living the dream after drawing against Germany before the game was interrupted by a hydration break. As the match resumed, the four-time world champions quickly gained control and eventually ran out 7-1 winners.

While the collapse cannot be entirely attributed to a hydration break, the stoppage may have played a role in turning the game back in Germany’s favor.

Former Spanish midfielder Juan Mata admitted that such distractions are far from ideal from a player’s point of view.

“As a player I don’t think it’s great,” he told ITV Sport.

“When you’re losing you want to score and when you’re winning you want to keep the ball. I think they disrupt the tempo.”

JUST SPACE FOR ADS?

Strip away the arguments about player benefit and tactics, and one nagging question remains: are these breaks just another advertising window?

FIFA said broadcasters should return to live action 30 seconds before play resumes.

Yet this guideline was not followed during Mexico’s match against South Africa, when FOX reportedly stayed in commercials for about 10 seconds after the restart of the game.

Former England striker Ian Wright was one of those unconvinced by the move.

“I just think it’s another way to get ads into it from an American perspective,” Wright said.

For lifelong soccer fans, one of the biggest attractions of the sport has always been its continuous flow.

The last thing many want is a commercial break to interrupt a match hanging in the balance.

Imagine watching Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo trade blows on the biggest stage, only to have the action interrupted for commercial.

That’s the nightmare scenario many supporters fear.

WHAT ABOUT THE FANS?

If fan reaction is the gauge FIFA intends to use, the initial verdict was not encouraging.

A hydration break was greeted with boos from some of the crowd in England’s match against Croatia in Dallas, and similar reactions were heard during Thursday’s games.

Even stadium viewers seem to be frustrated by the interruptions, so it’s easy to understand the complaints of those watching at home.

Whatever FIFA ultimately decides, it seems the fans are paying the price for now.

The governing body may have introduced the breaks with player welfare in mind, and coaches may appreciate the tactical opportunities they provide.

But football remains a sport driven by its fans.

If FIFA wants hydration breaks to become a permanent fixture at the World Cup, it may need to find a way to ensure they enhance the spectacle rather than detract from it.

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Published on:

19 Jun 2026 10:21 IST