ATLANTA — Saturday was hardly the first time anyone has seen a hydration break at a soccer match, but it did mark something different, insofar as the match was inside a climate-controlled dome, far from the hot and humid temperatures that generally trigger breaks at the club level.
Welcome to the 2026 World Cup, or at least a preview of it, where a game of two halves will inch closer to one of four quarters. The hydration break will be mandated in all games, regardless of conditions, midway through each half this summer. Not so coincidentally, FIFA will allow broadcasters to show commercials during the breaks.
The hydration breaks were implemented for Saturday’s 5-2 USMNT loss to Belgium, and will be for Tuesday’s match against Portugal as well, to replicate conditions for this summer.
Fans inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium were left wanting when the action stopped Saturday, booing in the 23rd minute. Some left for the concourse.
Tactically, it adds a different element too, as coaches have what is a de facto timeout to work with.
“To be honest, I don’t like it,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “I don’t like it because I think you cut the rhythm of the game. And I think after 20 minutes, like, OK, I understand when you play in an open stadium, maybe yes. We need to care about the health of the player.
“But in this type of stadium where it’s 21, 22, 23 degrees [celsius] and I think it’s perfect weather to play, pffft. … But that is the new rule that we need to accept.”
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia was not as critical.
“I like that because it is an opportunity for us coaches to speak with the team, to speak about strategy, the plan,” Garcia said. “We play as we know with our 4-3-3 and it was a good decision. So it was possible to speak with the team with these breaks. So it was very good. Interesting for me.”
The U.S. and Belgium both wore light-colored kits Saturday, creating a clash that was a problem for fans, TV viewers and players alike.
While no U.S. players went as far as blaming their performance on the kits, it was widely acknowledged to be an issue.
“That’s not an excuse at all because both teams deal with that, but that just was a bit strange,” Christian Pulisic said. “It was very different. I didn’t know until we took off our warmups prematch, whatever shirts, and then saw it. Everyone’s been shocked.”
