FIFA has officially confirmed that every match at the 2026 World Cup, to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, will feature two mandatory three-minute hydration breaks, one in each half.
The announcement was made on December 7, 2025 during a World Broadcaster Meeting in Washington, D.C., shortly after the tournament draw.
The breaks will occur precisely at the 22-minute mark of each 45-minute half and will last exactly three minutes, measured from the referee’s whistle to restart play.
This fixed timing applies to all 104 matches, regardless of weather, temperature, stadium type, or location across the 16 host cities. The game clock will continue running during the pause, but three minutes of stoppage time will be added at the end of each half to compensate. If an injury or other stoppage coincides with the scheduled break, referees will adjust accordingly.
According to Manolo Zubiria, FIFA’s Chief Tournament Officer for the U.S. portion of the event, the universal application ensures equal conditions for every team in every game.
The decision builds on experiences from the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States, where extreme summer heat prompted cooling breaks, and reflects a broader push to protect players amid rising global temperatures and the demanding 48-team, 104-match format stretching from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Beyond hydration, the pauses give coaches a brief window for tactical instructions during play, effectively turning each half into two distinct 22-minute segments.
While many coaches and FIFA’s medical staff support the measure, the global players’ union FIFPRO has expressed reservations, preferring shorter, more flexible cooling breaks tailored to actual heat conditions rather than fixed intervals.
The change also benefits broadcasters by creating predictable windows for commercials, and it aligns with other innovations for 2026, including three opening ceremonies, a halftime show at the final, and a schedule designed to reduce travel and heat exposure.
For better or worse, the traditional uninterrupted 45-minute half is gone, replaced by a more structured, quarter-like rhythm that some see as a step toward a more commercialized and Americanized version of the world’s game.