FIFA Requires Three-Minute Hydration Breaks in Every 2026 World Cup Match

FIFA will require three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half of every match at the 2026 World Cup. The mandate marks the first time the governing body has ordered such breaks in World Cup history. The rule applies to all matches regardless of temperature or whether stadiums are enclosed or air-conditioned.

The 2026 tournament is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada and is scheduled for summer 2026. FIFA drew on experience from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, where temperatures reached the 90s F (mid-30s C) and above. Some experts have warned that the 2026 World Cup could be the hottest in tournament history.

Athletes can sweat 1 to 2 liters (50 to 67 ounces) per hour in hot conditions, and losing as little as 2% of body weight to dehydration can impair physical performance. 5 C), said Yuri Hosokawa, associate professor at the Faculty of Sport Sciences at Waseda University.

Wet-bulb globe temperature above approximately 95 F (35 C) marks a critical threshold where human performance declines sharply, said Ryan Calsbeek, professor of biological sciences at Dartmouth College.

12 C) per minute, said Douglas Casa, CEO of the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute. In May 2026, Hosokawa and Casa co-signed a letter to FIFA urging cooling breaks of at least six minutes. “When we look at the three minute hydration breaks, we're really looking at this as a way to mitigate anything that could potentially lead to an incident or an emergency,” said Joshua L.

DeVincenzo, assistant director of applied research services at Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness. “Some people can tolerate a little more fluids comfortably and then do intense exercise. Some people can’t because it sloshes around in their stomach and they don’t feel super comfortable, so they might not drink as much in such a short period of time,” Casa said.