Soccer-World Cup matches to have mandatory hydration breaks in each half

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group F - Hungary v Armenia - Puskas Arena, Budapest, Hungary - October 11, 2025 Hungary's Daniel Lukacs during a water break REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

Dec 8 (Reuters) - World Cup matches at the 2026 tournament will have three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half regardless of the weather conditions, FIFA has said.

Referees will stop games 22 minutes into each half so players can rehydrate, soccer's global governing body added in a statement.