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The 3-minute hydration break/The game-changing rule at the 2026 World Cup

2026-06-19 07:49:00, Kuriozitete CNA

The 3-minute hydration break/The game-changing rule at the 2026 World Cup

For a very long time, football matches consisted simply of 45-minute halves, although with extra time added to the vast majority of them over the last few decades.

However, hydration breaks are a much more recent phenomenon. They were first developed in 2014, normally with specific heat and humidity thresholds that had to be exceeded for them to be used.

The 2026 World Cup has taken things a step further. These breaks are now required in each half for a full three minutes, regardless of the conditions.

What led to this latest change, how are these breaks affecting the match, and what does the future look like?

Hydration breaks were first implemented at the 2014 World Cup.

One turned into a crucial break during the Netherlands-Mexico round of 16 match. Dutch coach Louis van Gaal used it tactically. He said: “First I changed from 4-3-3, and then we created a lot of chances. Then I went to plan B. I did that in the break. It’s a smart way to take advantage of these breaks.” His team came back to win, 2-1.

So, almost immediately, these interruptions were being used for tactical reasons.

FIFA announced the mandatory hydration breaks on December 7, 2025. They would take place in every match at the 2026 World Cup, regardless of the conditions. And they would last three minutes, even if both teams and the referee were ready to restart before that time expired.

Of course, coaches are using that time to talk to their teams. Tactical changes are often implemented during hydration time. And three minutes to do that is not an insignificant amount of time. It is changing the nature of the match significantly. /CNA





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