French manager Didier Deschamps said it was “splitting the halves” in a way that could disrupt momentum.
“It’s almost four quarters, and before we had two halves,” Deschamps said. “So the players and obviously the coaches are adapting, but it’s a two-pronged approach.”
There are situations where hydration breaks make sense. Players have welcomed them in hot, open-air venues such as Boston and Kansas City, and temperatures reached 90 degrees during Belgium’s draw with Egypt in Seattle.
But many World Cup matches are being played in climate-controlled stadiums, and the breaks are mandatory regardless of conditions. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente acknowledged as much before his team’s draw with Cape Verde in Atlanta, saying the pauses were useful in extreme heat but less necessary inside a cooled stadium.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 18: Ivan Sunjic #14 and Kerim Alajbegovic #19 of Bosnia and Herzegovina cool off during a hydration break in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Los Angeles Stadium on June 18, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
(Stu Forster via Getty Images)
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