World Cup 2026 hydration breaks: big winners and losers revealed

Hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup are reshaping matches, benefiting some teams while disrupting others.

Familiar pauses for players Every World Cup game in 2026 includes a three-minute hydration break 22 minutes into each half to help players cope with extreme heat and humidity across Mexico, Canada and the United States. Even stadiums with retractable roofs and climate control still enforce these pauses. Some critics argue the breaks are more about commercial breaks for US broadcasters than player welfare. When asked about the mandatory stoppages, Mauricio Pochettino, coach of co-hosts USA, shared his view: "I don't like it. I only like it when the conditions are extreme. But when the conditions are good, it is unnecessary." ## Momentum shifts after breaks Brazil turned their game around against Morocco after a hydration break in the first half, going from a poor start to equalising within six minutes of play resuming. Coach Carlo Ancelotti credited the break for allowing tactical adjustments and fresh instructions. "You can explain a problem to the players," he said. "[You can] make a tactical adjustment that can be very good." Similar momentum changes occurred in other matches, with Canada equalising shortly after a break against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the second half. Scotland and Australia also scored their first goals after hydration breaks in their wins. ## Coaches divided on breaks Emma Hayes, head coach of the United States women's team, called the hydration breaks "momentum breaks" and said they hurt teams dominating the game. "It's advantageous for the team losing momentum - that's why I call them momentum breaks," she explained. "When you're on top, you don't want it; when you're losing, you do. Sometimes it's not even coaching [during the hydration break]. It's about taking on fluid and calming players." Former Arsenal and England forward Ian Wright also criticised the breaks, saying: "I just think it's another way of getting adverts into it from an American point of view." Wright pointed to overrun adverts during the break in the opening match between Mexico and South Africa. ## Players react to lost flow Juan Mata, a 2010 World Cup winner with Spain, stated that as a player he would have opposed the breaks. "As a player I don't think it's great," he told reporters. "When you're losing, you want to score, and when you're winning you want to keep the ball. I think they break the momentum." Morocco's coach Mohamed Ouahbi and Brazil's Ancelotti both used the breaks to regroup and adjust tactics, showing contrasting approaches to the interruptions. Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente, however, supported the breaks for player health: "I am always interested in the health of my players. I think it's the right measure, a pause, freshen up and continue." ## Teams losing momentum after breaks World Cup debutants Curacao equalised against Germany shortly before a first-half hydration break, but the break allowed Germany to regroup, resulting in a heavy 7-1 loss for Curacao. The Czech Republic were controlling their match against South Korea until the hydration break abruptly ended their pressure, leading to a 2-1 defeat. The Netherlands led Japan 2-1 before the second-half break but failed to hold on, settling for a 2-2 draw. These examples highlight how breaks can shift momentum, though not always as the sole cause. ## Support for player welfare measures Despite criticism, some coaches see the hydration breaks as a necessary measure for player safety. Luis de la Fuente of Spain said before his team's opening game against Cape Verde: "I am always interested in the health of my players. I think it's the right measure, a pause, freshen up and continue." He added that even in controlled environments, breaks help players recover: "It's not going to be that hot [on Monday] but we need to let them breathe and then one or two minutes to give them a couple of directions." The breaks are scheduled for all 104 games at the 2026 World Cup.