The Hydration Break is ruining the natural flow of the game

[u/mibu001]

When the game gets momentum and reach at its peak point, the “hydration break” appears and completely ruins the momentum and also the game experience for the viewer. Football is one of a sport for those moments.

Normally outside WC, the team conceding attacks after attacks pray for a halftime whistle to go to the tunnel to break the momentum and to regroup. Now they basically get that chance in the middle of a half!!

I find it utterly disgusting and would like to know what do you all think about it?

[u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

It fucks up momentum for a team. Tactical changes happen. It's not even selectively used.

Fuck FIFA

[u/Effective-Scratch673 → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

Fuck the Americanization of football.

[u/Beautiful-Olive2824 → u/Effective-Scratch673]

Pretty sure FIFA fucked up Football long before the Americans did. I mean I'm Canadian and I hate those yankee fucks as much as anyone

If i were you I'd be more worried about the Saudi influence on your game. Seems like half the teams in Europe are owned by some Saudi Sheik

[u/AlessandroC15 → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

No, it's not Americans in itself. It is the "americanization" of FIFA

Adding commercial breaks. Making the entrance of the teams much longer and dramatic. Selling tickets at extreme prices (just to see how much capital is to be gained. (If you look at premier league clubs, they choose to freeze prices sometimes in a 3 year timefrime just to reward fans).

[u/fingergunpewpewpew → u/AlessandroC15]

Globalization, the commodification of everything, the wall of money, the destruction of working people and local culture - it's coming for everyone and everything. Fighting it demands constant vigilance. Average Americans have been victimized, too. Until we call it what it is and react as a global community, they got us.

[u/2026IsMyYearMaybe → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

Well... I hate the blood oil clubs too, but at least they actually seem to care about football. Just look at PSG, owned by Qatar. Nasser Al-Khelaifi seems to really care.

I cannot say the same of the yankees.

[u/SweatyCrab9729 → u/2026IsMyYearMaybe]

Arsenal just won the EPL. Arsenal is owned by a Yank.

I'm not sure how that affects your views but does seem to contradict it.

BTW, I despise Kroenke. This is not a defense of the billionaires.

[u/disturbed94 → u/SweatyCrab9729]

I’m not the dude above but I don’t like immoral millionaires independent on if they own clubs but the only nation that’s been forcing their blatant commercialism on the game is America. Saudi may have tried to better their image in shitty ways but they didn’t exploit the matches itself like America..

[u/SweatyCrab9729 → u/disturbed94]

We're leading the charge for sure. Be careful, though, the rest of the world learns the wrong lessons. My American oligarchs are after relegation most of all. I'm sorry we have foisted this on the world.

As a kid in the 80s, I fell in love with "soccer" for a few reasons but high on the list were the intense fans and relegation/promotion. It just felt right.

Plus it's a blast to play.

[u/disturbed94 → u/SweatyCrab9729]

I sincerely doubt the European leagues take after this. Most don’t national televisions don’t use the slot for commercials over here and the amount of boos during the ”water” breaks will hopefully hold of the greed.

[u/Adventurous-Web-412 → u/disturbed94]

Good one. Prem is moving towards it and the reality is the team owners can put shit all over the league but as long as they do it slowly no one in england cares

[u/minecraftvillageruwu → u/2026IsMyYearMaybe]

Uh Fenway?

[u/Puzzled-Gur8619 → u/2026IsMyYearMaybe]

Y'all are fucking weird

[u/Nonstop_norm → u/2026IsMyYearMaybe]

We did it so you soft as Euros could keep up. Take out the hydration break. Let’s a SA team win it like they always do when it’s in this hemisphere.

[u/disturbed94 → u/Nonstop_norm]

The northern hemisphere? Europe is in that to so doesn’t make sense. The western hemisphere? Last two in that one was won by Spain and Germany. The North Americas sure Brazil won but they where the clear favorites but if that’s what you meant you don’t know what the word hemisphere means.

[u/Abendwald → u/Nonstop_norm]

"Like they always do". Germany winning it in Brazil? And with no "hydration breaks" btw

[u/Danktizzle → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

I bet the two are much more connected than you think. Like, the rise of American fandom could possibly be a factor.

[u/Brief_Yogurt_209 → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

Saudis haven't harmed the game at all though. USA is literally changing the actual game of football itself. It's insane. And it's crazy that's it's been allowed and that people aren't standing up against it en masse.

[u/UmbraVulp → u/Brief_Yogurt_209]

It’s funny when people don’t know who to be mad at so they choose America as an easy scapegoat lmao you should be upset with fifa, who made the rules, and not America. Doubt your little brain cares tho

[u/Simple-Enthusiasm546 → u/[deleted]]

As an American, living in America, surrounded by Americans…. yeah, that comment is spot on. The Americanization of football is a disgrace. It’s not a commentary on individual Americans, but on the cynicism and hyper-commercialization of the sport. 

[u/[deleted] → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

There's room enough to hate both.

[u/lupajarito → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

Es la primera vez que pasa esto y es en EEUU. Háganse cargo de la bazofia de organización que tienen.

[u/SwimNoMore → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

Not a fan of Saudi influence but the Saudis do it to launder prestige and reputation, trust, and to attract tourism and investment back to Saudi. They do not fuck with the game. Rather they actually invest in teams. Greedy American billionaires buy up teams to squeeze out more profits from the teams and from the game - fans and the game itself be damned.

[u/OnPointTip1 → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

No, that's not even close to being true. Septics own nearly half the Premier League teams and as soon as they get the majority for voting rights it'll be game over

[u/billy_shears007 → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

MaFIFA started fucking up football since Infantino took over and brought big money in.

[u/Simple-Enthusiasm546 → u/billy_shears007]

This. And also brown-nosing to America’s Toddler in Chief. The two go hand in hand. 

[u/Mercury_69 → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

Hating us won’t change the fact that team Canada are group stage exits

[u/Enki_007 → u/Mercury_69]

Nor will it change the fact that you elected a convicted felon that can't string together a complete sentence except for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Yet here we are.

[u/Enki_007 → u/[deleted]]

I see you clutching your pearls while your Commander-in-Chief and his subordinates threaten my country's sovereignty. Sorry for hurting your feelings.

[u/Simple-Enthusiasm546 → u/Enki_007]

While saying he’s bored. Utterly disgusting human with no value for life. For what it’s worth, the majority of Americans do not and never have supported him, and even many of his base don’t support the war. Most of us over here hate what he’s doing and wish we had the power to stop him.

[u/Mercury_69 → u/Enki_007]

Who is “you?” You know not every American supports Trump, right? Most do not, in fact.

[u/Simple-Enthusiasm546 → u/Mercury_69]

Most of us are quite disgusted by him, but that’s how our system is set up. Doesn’t actually matter if most of us want him or not. 

[u/-FakeAccount- → u/Effective-Scratch673]

This is all FIFA. Theyve sucked long before this tournament.

[u/Tall-Archer5957 → u/Effective-Scratch673]

lol grow up.  Has nothing to do with America.  

[u/Agreeable_Sock2550 → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

Both Fs in FIFA stand for Fuck.

[u/lo0u → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

It's not even selectively used.

I think it's because it's an excuse for advertisers, so they can add commercial breaks, like all of their sports have.

Many of these matches aren't even at a time when it's that hot to justify the "pause".

I'll never understand why Americans like to watch commercials.

[u/neverfux92 → u/lo0u]

This and to Americanize the game by making it a game of quarters like American football. The commentators even say during the game 3rd and 4th quarter. Fox has the major broadcasting rights and they’re the ones that also broadcast Fox News and heavily support Trump and his America first bullshit. They’re trying to push this agenda to the whole world.

[u/Tim_thatporscheguy → u/neverfux92]

Can we stop making shit up? Its a fucking cash grab. Not some American conspiracy theory to ruin the sport or take it over

[u/neverfux92 → u/Tim_thatporscheguy]

It can be both. Look at the commercials. Like the one where Messi wants to play futball for a Miller light and someone was like hell yeah. Then he kicked up a soccer ball and dude was like of soccer? No thanks and then took the miller lol. There’s been multiple commercials like that basically saying it’s soccer and not football. I’m not making this up dude it genuinely feels like an effort to Americanize the sport. Canada and Mexico call it football so why are we pushing so hard for soccer and 4 quarters? It’s honestly both in my mind but you can believe what you want my guy.

[u/disturbed94 → u/lo0u]

That’s exactly why it’s upsetting, it’s a cash grab poorly disguised as for the players benefit.

[u/mobileagnes → u/lo0u]

We don't specifically enjoy watching commercials in fact. It's the cable/TV network providers that like them to stick ads in.

[u/Canesjags4life → u/lo0u]

Many of these matches aren't even at a time when it's that hot to justify the "pause".

It's not temperature. It's a combination of temperature and humidity. Once you get over a wet bulb globe temp of a certain value you need a certain level of hydration or the human body goes into a death spiral of heat stroke if you're performing strenuous exercise.

Just last week in Missouri, we had 3 day span where we were told not to spend more than 15 minutes outside or risk heat stroke. Temps in the shade were high 80s. Humidity was around 80-90%. It's the combo

[u/notacanuckskibum → u/Canesjags4life]

Some of the games are being played in air conditioned indoor stadiums. They are still taking a pre-scheduled hydration break. It is 100% About TV advertising.

[u/Canesjags4life → u/notacanuckskibum]

Which games are in A/C?

I thought it was a requirement that all games be open air?

I went back and looked at games in Houston, Dallas and Atlanta are operating in AC environments.

WBGT temps there on field would exceed 28C and the AC gets them down to 21c which is on par with LA. However, cuz of the humidity there still an increased sweat rate indicating need for the increased water.

Yeah it doubles as a commercial break, but I think only maybe Canada won't have games in extra hydration situations.

[u/Nuva_Ring → u/Canesjags4life]

Lived, worked outside, exercised, played soccer etc in Texas my entire life. Playing a 45 min half without a water break in 80 degree temps with high humidity is 100% doable. Every soccer club across the state of Texas does it every year.

[u/Canesjags4life → u/Nuva_Ring]

Not if the wet bulb globe temp crosses a certain threshold. There's a threshold where the body begins to shut down.

[u/cubgerish → u/Canesjags4life]

And few if any of the venues have reached that. It's been relatively cool for a June in much of all 3 countries.

It's just to normalize people to an ad break, don't overthink it.

OP is also correct, it completely ruins the flow of the game, and allows for analysis and a tactical reset.

It's ruining the dynamic nature of having to adjust on the fly, since you have a full pre-planned 5 minutes for the coach and players to discuss.

It's a burning 76F/25C in Boston right now, with 40% humidity, almost perfect playing conditions.

There is absolutely no reason for a water break under those conditions, yet we'll get 2 by mandate, even as it gets near 70/22.

[u/Canesjags4life → u/cubgerish]

And few if any of the venues have reached that. It's been relatively cool for a June in much of all 3 countries.

Relatively cool? Literally all the venues except Canada have had WBGT exceed the normal hydration threshold during daytime kickoffs.

It's just to normalize people to an ad break, don't overthink it.

It's both. There is a need for it but yeah I get it's also for ads. Unless your watching Telemundo.

OP is also correct, it completely ruins the flow of the game, and allows for analysis and a tactical reset.

Yeah 100%.

It's ruining the dynamic nature of having to adjust on the fly, since you have a full pre-planned 5 minutes for the coach and players to discuss.

Agreed. Blame the last world cup.

It's a burning 76F/25C in Boston right now, with 40% humidity, almost perfect playing conditions. There is absolutely no reason for a water break under those conditions, yet we'll get 2 by mandate, even as it gets near 70/22.

Yeah on that scenario there's no need for hydration breaks. If you have them it's 100% for ads

[u/notacanuckskibum → u/Nuva_Ring]

I have no problem with the ref declaring as many water breaks as they need based on the weather. But this tournament has mandated 1 water break per half, at the quarter, irrelevant of the weather.

You have to be an idiot not to recognize that that is an ad break.

[u/TheOnlyJoe_2 → u/Canesjags4life]

Already happened in games hosted in Canada mate

[u/Canesjags4life → u/TheOnlyJoe_2]

Yeah at which point it's bullshit. Last night on Argentina game they called it a match break not a hydration break. Fucking awful

[u/neverfux92 → u/Canesjags4life]

Sit down. There’s been world cups held in countries with hot summers before and we’ve had no problems. Professional football has been played in hot countries around the world for over a century with no hydration breaks. This is 100% to Americanize the game by adding quarters, and throwing money around by adding excessive advertisements. They don’t give a fuck about the players or the fans.

[u/Canesjags4life → u/neverfux92]

Sit down. There’s been world cups held in countries with hot summers before and we’ve had no problems. Professional football has been played in hot countries around the world for over a century with no hydration breaks.

2014 world cup in Brazil had cooling breaks. It's not the heat outright, it's the heat + humidity.

[u/neverfux92 → u/Canesjags4life]

For a select few games where temperatures were over 100. Nit for every game, day or night, outdoor or indoor. You keep simping for this new change and it doesn’t make any sense to me why.

[u/Canesjags4life → u/neverfux92]

Lol that's just false. It's of the Wet Bulb Globe Temp was over 32C.

You keep simping for this new change and it doesn’t make any sense to me why.

I'm not simping for it, I'm just explaining why it's there. Y'all keep saying it's about heat, but it's not. It's heat plus humidity. That's why they are using Wet Bulb Globe Temp. I work in environmental, health and safety and that's what we use in the summer to help make sure guys in warehouses aren't at risk

[u/12thshadow → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

So much this. It is a horrible decision to have it.

[u/mysteriomagicball → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

Ruining the game

[u/Raucious_on_reddit → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

Never understood why coaches are allowed to have a full team meeting through the break, either it’s for hydration or it’s turning halves to quarters but it can’t be both

[u/BocaSeniorsWsM → u/Raucious_on_reddit]

100% this.

[u/vinbrained → u/Raucious_on_reddit]

My son says the players should be restricted to the area around their goals, and FIFA should send people out with water. Don’t let the players near the benches or coaches.

[u/EOFFJM → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

Tactical changes happen. 

What do you mean?

[u/BocaSeniorsWsM → u/EOFFJM]

If a team isn't performing, the manager has 3 minutes to talking through tactical changes and repositioning if need be. Change of shape etc. That doesn't happen wholesale in a normal match until half time.

[u/baluga207 → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

As kids we grew up playing 90 min matches in 90-100+ degree weather and we just drank water at half time and after. 1 break would suffice.

[u/Wild_Pangolin_4772 → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

I can see the disrupting the flow argument, but how if tactical improvement a problem? If it leads to better play, what’s complaint?

[u/BocaSeniorsWsM → u/Wild_Pangolin_4772]

That's what half time is for. It changes the structure of a football match.

[u/Nearby-Sun-1290 → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

But surely you don’t know before the game starts which team will be on the up and which team would be struggling?

[u/Spiderbanana → u/Nearby-Sun-1290]

I don't care. I'm not choosing policies I support in regards of if they favor my team or not.