FIFA President Gianni Infantino addressed the introduction of hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup, responding to the intense criticism surrounding this new measure.
“The main reason is the heat, but we also have to recognize that in a tournament like the World Cup, which spans 39 days, teams could potentially play eight matches within that period, making rest opportunities extremely important. Even more crucial for us is ensuring that all teams compete under equal conditions in every match. It’s difficult to accept that a coach might influence the course of a game simply because it’s hotter in one match, while in another with slightly lower temperatures, the same coach wouldn’t have that advantage,” Infantino explained on FIFA’s official website.
He also firmly rejected accusations that the initiative was financially motivated:
“FIFA does not gain any additional revenue from this, as all commercial agreements were signed well in advance. So, this is not a financial issue for us. It’s purely a sporting matter. Players attack until the very last second of the match. Perhaps this small break helps players recover and then return to the pitch ready to perform at their best.”
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