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  "path": "/2026/06/16/football-a-game-two-halves-world-cup-fans-want-rid-hydration-breaks-28803608/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-16T17:28:19.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "World Cup",
    "FIFA",
    "Club World Cup",
    "Sign up here",
    "Netherlands skipper Virgil van Dijk told reporters",
    "pic.twitter.com/P5JcUEPcye",
    "June 15, 2026",
    "Liverpool",
    "ITV",
    "Julian Nagelsmann",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source",
    "@BBCSport"
  ],
  "textContent": "Metro readers have taken a cynical view of FIFA’s hydration breaks (Picture: Getty)\n\nFIFA’s mandatory three-minute hydration breaks during World Cup matches are proving as controversial as they are cooling.\n\nPlayers appear split over interruptions that some say kill the flow of the game ,while coaches embrace them as tactical timeouts.\n\nThe breaks were introduced after the sweltering Club World Cup in the United States last year when soaring temperatures and oppressive humidity fueled concerns among players, coaches and fans.\n\nMatches will have hydration breaks taken around the 22nd minute in each half and the rule essentially breaks the game down into four quarters, much to the ire of **Metro** readers who we canvassed for their opinion on the divisive rule change.\n\n##  Don't miss anything from the World Cup\n\nCrunch time beckons for Thomas Tuchel (Picture: FA via Getty Images)\n\n\nWe've got the latest from the England camp, previews of the biggest games and everything you missed overnight in our daily World Cup newsletter.\n\nSign up here.\n\n‘It’s for good adverts, bad for football. It’s a game of two halves, not four quarters,’ said one unimpressed fan, Jo Coutoure, while Andy Fellows observed ‘It’s not an hydration break it’s a coaching break and they have a drink, they are splitting football into quarters like basketball and American football.’\n\nWhile FIFA would argue the introduction of the water breaks were implemented with player safety in mind, fans and players alike have a more cynical view.\n\n‘I think hydration breaks are a bit interesting because I was obviously watching almost all the games… Every time, going to commercial is a bit not really that I like it,’ Netherlands skipper Virgil van Dijk told reporters.\n\n> Virgil van Dijk says he's not a fan of the mandatory hydration breaks introduced at the World Cup 🤔 pic.twitter.com/P5JcUEPcye\n>\n> — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 15, 2026\n\n‘I think for the neutral watchers on TV, it’s also not great.’\n\nThe Liverpool captain’s take was a view shared by many Metro readers including Lee Olney who wrote ‘Hydration breaks, change it to Advertising breaks. Money, money, money.\n\nAlthough not all fixtures are played during the day, hydration breaks have been mandated in each game at the World Cup in the interest of fairness and uniformity.\n\n‘As a player, it can work both ways,” Belgium’s Youri Tielemans said. ‘In some cities, it’s not that hot and maybe we shouldn’t do it.\n\nCarlo Ancelotti changed the course of Brazil’s game against Morocco with a tactical change during hydration break in Brazil’s 1-1 draw against Morocco (Credits: Xinhua/Shutterstock)\n\n‘But at the end of the day, if you do it in some cities, you should do it for everyone.’\n\nMany Metro readers, however, argued that a common sense approach should be applied depending on the conditions in different cities and stadiums.\n\n‘Have it game by game , not required if temperatures are only around 20 degrees,’ suggested Ian Green, while JamesHarrison said football should follow the example of other sports, saying ‘It should be done the same as it is done in tennis – when the temperature hits a certain level.’\n\nWorld Cup matches have seen the advent of hydration breaks with one in each half (Credits: ANP/Shutterstock)\n\nBroadcasters, meanwhile, are allowed to cut away to commercials 20 seconds after the referee signals a hydration break but must return to live action 30 seconds before the restart.\n\nHowever, some broadcasters like Britain’s ITV and Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo opted not to show commercials to preserve the sanctity of the live game so fans can watch the players and coach interact.\n\nCritics say **hydration** breaks can also have an adverse effect on teams, affecting their momentum.\n\nPOLL\n\nPoll\n\n### Are hydration breaks ruining the World Cup?\n\n  * YesCheck\n\n  * NoCheck\n\n\n\n\nWorld Cup debutants Curacao were in dreamland when Livano Comenencia equalized against Germany in their group opener in the 21st minute, only for the referee to signal a **hydration** break soon after, allowing Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann to rally his troops to a 7-1 victory.\n\n‘Leave drink bottles at the side of the pitch. Players can pick them up as needed,’ said Teresa Engley. ‘All to do with making money, totally disrupts the flow of the game.’\n\nTerry Bosworth added: ‘They are treating the football World Cup games like all the American football games! Trouble is it’s halting the game and stopping the momentum! There is only 90 mins to play not five hours.’\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "‘A game of two halves not four quarters!’ World Cup fans send message to FIFA over controversial rule change"
}