Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said the hydration breaks introduced in each half of matches at the World Cup add nothing to football while destroying the sport's cultural essence.
World Cup matches to have mandatory hydration breaks in each half
Fans at the World Cup are vocally protesting FIFA's newly introduced mandatory three-minute hydration breaks, booing the stoppages during matches in Dallas, Toronto, and Boston. Critics argue these breaks disrupt game flow and serve commercial interests, with one match seeing a team concede a goal shortly after a break.
With hot weather due and memories fresh of the scorching 2025 Club World Cup, FIFA has for the first time mandated three-minute hydration breaks in each half for all 104 matches of the World Cup starting this week in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Climate change has increased the likelihood of temperatures high enough to affect player performance at 97 of the 104 tournament matches.
Caleb Yirenkyi scored a stoppage-time winner to earn Ghana a 1-0 win over Panama in a chilly and lively World Cup game in which the African side were forced to play the second half without starting goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi on Wednesday.
Switzerland found the keys to break down a resolute Bosnia and Herzegovina defence with four late goals in a 4-1 win thanks to a brace from Johan Manzambi and further strikes from fellow substitute Ruben Vargas and captain Granit Xhaka with a penalty.
The United States football team secured its place in the World Cup knockout stage with a convincing 2-0 victory over Australia. An early own goal and an Alex Freeman header sealed the win, despite the absence of key player Christian Pulisic. The team's depth was highlighted as they dominated the match, moving to six points in Group D.
The United States men's national team secured a dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their World Cup Group D opener, with Folarin Balogun scoring two goals and Giovanni Reyna adding another.
Football's global players' union has renewed concerns about the potential impact of heat on the 2026 World Cup, following a scientific analysis indicating a high likelihood of dangerous temperatures for both players and fans.
The Netherlands secured a dominant 5-1 victory over Sweden in a World Cup match, with Brian Brobbey scoring an early double and Cody Gakpo adding two more in the second half. Crysencio Summerville sealed the rout with a late goal, despite Anthony Elanga pulling one back for Sweden. This win places the Netherlands at the top of Group F.
Russia manager Fabio Capello and Juventus coach Antonio Conte voiced support on Saturday for the introduction of 'time-outs' during matches in a move they said would benefit players, managers and commercial partners.
Twenty-five years on, Coca-Cola is involved in a new search. Arnab Dutta reports.
