FIFA announced a historic measure for the 2026 World Cup, to be held in Canada, Mexico and the United States: all matches will include mandatory three-minute hydration breaks in the middle of each half, regardless of weather, venue or ambient temperature. The innovation seeks to ensure a level playing field among the 48 participating teams in a World Cup that will be the longest and most physically demanding in the tournament’s history.
According to world soccer’s governing body, referees will stop play after the 22nd minute of each half to allow players to properly hydrate. FIFA clarified that this is “a simplified procedure” that standardizes the break in all matches. This decision eliminates the previous model, in which breaks depended on heat indexes and specific weather conditions, which generated differences between matches and venues.
Hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup
World Cup 2026 will include 3-minute hydration breaks in each half of all matches
The referee will stop the match 22 minutes into each half so that players can drink, regardless of the temperature, the host country or whether the stadium has a roof and…
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Manolo Zubiría, tournament director, explained that the implementation will be uniform in all host cities, from indoor stadiums to open-air venues.
“Regardless of the stadium, whether it has a roof or not, and the temperature, there will be a three-minute break in all matches. It will last exactly three minutes in both halves from the moment the referee blows the whistle,” he said.
He also indicated that if play must be stopped due to an injury near the one minute mark, the referee will assess the situation to avoid unnecessary interruptions.
For Hispanic fans living in the United States, this announcement is especially relevant because many of the games will be played in cities with varying temperatures.
From the intense heat of places like Dallas or Miami, to milder conditions in Seattle or New York.
The rule seeks to protect the health of players in the face of longer schedules and more extensive travel than previous tournaments.
A World Cup with three opening ceremonies
In addition to the new hydration breaks, FIFA confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will have three opening ceremonies, one for each host country.
The first will take place on June 11 in Mexico City, prior to the match between Mexico and South Africa, which will officially mark the start of the tournament.
The other two ceremonies will take place on June 12, when Canada opens in Toronto against the winner of the European playoff (Bosnia, Italy, Northern Ireland or Wales), and when the United States plays in Los Angeles against Paraguay.
These ceremonies reflect the multinational character of the tournament and seek to provide each host country with its own opening moment in front of its fans.
The final will include a historic show
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FIFA also revealed that the championship final, scheduled for July 19 at the New York-New Jersey Stadium, will include a special halftime show for the first time.
The above in a format similar to that seen at large-scale U.S. sporting events.
In addition, the traditional closing ceremony will be held at the end of the meeting.
With these decisions, FIFA aims to modernize the tournament and adapt it to the huge global audience that will follow this edition of the World Cup, the first with three host countries and the first with 48 teams.
For millions of fans – including the growing Latino community in the U.S. – this World Cup promises to be an unprecedented experience both on and off the field.
