FIFA has confirmed a “radical NFL-Style Rule Change” for the 2026 World Cup, introducing mandatory stoppages that will effectively split every contest into four quarters.
The new regulation dictates that every match, regardless of the weather conditions or venue, will include a three-minute interval midway through each half—dubbed “hydration breaks.”
While common in co-host sports like NFL, NBA, and NHL, this is a radically alien addition to the game of soccer.
The governing body has insisted that this universal measure is fundamentally a matter of player welfare.
“FIFA prioritizes player welfare,” the organization stated, adding that the measure is intended to “ensure equal conditions for all teams, in all matches.”
Previously, cooling breaks were administered at the referee’s discretion based on temperature and humidity, but never before has a World Cup been conducted with pre-agreed regulations of stoppages after approximately 22 minutes.
2026 World Cup chief tournament officer Manolo Zubiria detailed the consistency of the new rule in a press release from FIFA:
“For every game, 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.”
He confirmed the exact timing, adding, “It will be three minutes from whistle to whistle in both halves.”
The trailed stoppages are expected to have significant tactical repercussions, tripling the number of in-game team talks available to coaches.