FIFA faced backlash for mandating three-minute hydration breaks before and after every match at the 2026 World Cup, and there were concerns that UEFA would do the same at Euro 2028.
Hydration breaks became a hot topic at the World Cup (Image: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
UEFA will not implement mandatory hydration breaks at Euro 2028 in the UK and Ireland. This follows a backlash from players, coaches and supporters over FIFA’s continued use of the sport at the North American World Cup.
All matches in the tournament so far have had a three-minute break between each half. FIFA claims the break was implemented for the welfare of the players given the extreme heat at many matches, but critics believe it is an excuse for TV broadcasters to run advertisements.
However, UEFA has no similar plans for 2028, a spokesperson confirmed to the Telegraph. Current UEFA policy states that a cooling break should only be enforced if the temperature during a match exceeds 32°C in senior competitions.
In other words, there should be almost no much-maligned interruptions during Euro 2028. Matches will be played in England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, with Northern Ireland withdrawing from hosting competition two years ago.
Get the latest 2026 World Cup news in your inbox with our Make Football Great Again newsletter
During England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia at the air-conditioned AT&T Stadium in Dallas, referee Clement Turpin was booed by both supporters when he blew his whistle to signal the first water break in the 22nd minute. There was a similar reaction at the game between Norway and Iraq at Boston’s Gillette Stadium, where the temperature was just 23 degrees.
Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa warned on Saturday that a hydration break could change football forever. “With the new rules there are a lot of goals, but that’s fine,” Bielsa said.
“The general consensus is that playing four periods instead of two would change culturally constructed notions of how to interpret football. In my view, it adds nothing and loses a lot.”
What do you think about hydration breaks? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
Marcelo Bielsa doesn’t like hydration breaks (Image: Carmen Mandato – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
“When[the match]was divided into four periods, there was no consideration given to the impact it had on the factors that make soccer such an attractive sport, but instead other effects that I have not discussed or analyzed were considered.”
The former Leeds manager continued: “What I’m saying is that before this decision football had certain characteristics and now it has different characteristics. People fall in love with football because of those characteristics.”
“Although we had great successes, such as improving the game due to the influence of VAR, this other attempt had a less positive result. These are not just my opinions, but the general opinion.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Upgrade your World Cup TV setup with Sky Glass ‘designed for soccer’
From £4.50
sky
Get the deal here
Sky is marking the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 20% discount on its entire range of glass TVs. Until June 17, shoppers can upgrade to a Sky smart TV ‘designed for football’ from £4.50 a month when taken with a Sky TV and Netflix package.
