Drinks breaks at World Cup 2026: How long are they? Are managers allowed to give instructions? Are they mandatory?

World football's governing body said every match at the tournament, no matter the weather conditions, will have hydration breaks in each half.

It is one of a number of rule changes actioned at this summer's World Cup, taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Hydration breaks have been observed at major tournaments and domestically for some time, but they are typically enacted under the discretion of the referee, or if the temperature surpasses a certain threshold.

FIFA said by introducing mandatory hydration breaks, it is ensuring "equal conditions for all teams, in all matches," while also prioritising player welfare.

The intense heat during last year's FIFA Club World Cup - which also took place in the United States - provoked critical reactions from some players.

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez described playing in the heat as "very dangerous" and said he felt "dizzy" while on the pitch.

FIFA said that by introducing mandatory drinks breaks, it is providing a "streamlined and simplified version" of the similar breaks which had been observed at other major tournaments.

This summer, referees will pause matches 22 minutes into each half, in order to commence the break.

FIFA said it drew on previous tournaments to introduce a drinks break system which served as a "focused attempt to ensure the best possible conditions for players".

Manolo Zubiria, chief tournament officer for the World Cup, said "if there’s an injury at the moment of the 20th or 21st minute and it’s ongoing, this will be addressed on the spot with the referee".

FIFA stated that hydration breaks at the World Cup will span three minutes "from whistle-to-whistle".

While the weather forecast on some days is projected to be cooler, and some stadiums have air-conditioned facilities with closed roofs, Zubiria said "no matter where the games are played, no matter if there’s a roof, [or] temperature-wise, there will be a three-minute hydration break".

Yes, and we have already seen it happen.

During the United States' pre-World Cup friendly against Senegal, Mauricio Pochettino utilised his side's three-minute hydration break to get his ideas across via the use of a laptop.

International Football Association Board (IFAB) rules state the use of electronic devices is permitted "where it directly relates to player welfare or safety or for tactical/coaching reasons," stipulating only that the device must be small.

So, managers can even go as far as showing their teams video footage to supplement their tactical instructions.

The main restriction placed upon players during these breaks is that they must stay within the bounds of the pitch.

This summer's World Cup will be hosted in 16 cities in three different countries.

And FIFA said it had designed the tournament's match schedule in order to "to minimise travel for teams and fans, maximise rest days between matches for all participating nations, and enable the widest possible global audience to follow their teams across different time zones".

For example, England will play all three of their Group L games in the US, in Dallas, Boston and then New York. Scotland will also remain in the US, playing their first two Group C matches in Boston, before travelling to Miami to face Brazil.

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