Introduction to Hydration Breaks
The 2026 World Cup has introduced hydration breaks for the first time in the tournament's history, prompting questions about the reasoning behind this decision. Jenny Taft's conversation with FIFA President Gianni Infantino provided insight into the introduction of these breaks.
According to Infantino, the concept of hydration breaks was first tested during the FIFA Club World Cup in the U.S., where they were implemented in about 60% of the games due to high temperatures. He stated, "I know there's a lot of talk around these hydration breaks, and the truth of the matter is — that last year, we organized the FIFA Club World Cup here in the U.S., the first edition, and with the hydration breaks, as it was seen at the time, only for those matches where it was particularly hot. It was around 60% of the games."
In the current World Cup, every game includes mandatory hydration breaks, regardless of the weather conditions. This decision aims to ensure that all teams compete under the same conditions throughout the 39-day tournament, which now features 104 games, an increase from the previous 64-game format. Infantino explained, "So, we determined — well before the tournament, and we communicated this as well — that every game should have hydration breaks. Why? So that every team throughout the tournament has exactly the same conditions. This is a tournament that lasts 39 days. If you want to win it, you have to play eight games. It's a lot for these top professional players."
Infantino views hydration breaks as a means to conserve player health, allowing them to recharge during the game. He noted, "To rest for three minutes ... it gives a lot of energy back. We see it in these games as well, especially in the last 20 minutes of the game. They're played at an intensity that we've never seen before, in any game whatsoever. So, I think all of this helps a lot."
Following the World Cup, FIFA plans to evaluate the impact of hydration breaks on the game's flow. As Infantino stated, "We, of course, will analyze after the World Cup, whether it was good or bad. But the flow of the game, the intensity of the game, has definitely increased a lot."
