Dallas (United States) (AFP) – Virgil van Dijk does not like them, fans have started booing them and the many critics say they are ruining the World Cup.
Issued on: 15/06/2026 - 18:50
3 min Reading time
Hydration breaks last just a total of six minutes during a match, but they stand accused of fundamentally changing the nature of football at the sport's ultimate showpiece."Hydration breaks are a bit interesting," said Netherlands captain Van Dijk, whose side drew 2-2 with Japan in Texas on Sunday in an air-conditioned arena."I was watching almost all of the games up until today and every time going into a commercial is a bit... not really that I like it."I think for the neutral watchers on TV it's also not great."Also Sunday, over at tournament co-host Mexico, spectators during Sweden's 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia in Monterrey made their disdain plain by booing loudly when the pause came in the first half.Fans similarly jeered the break in Monday's game between Spain and Cape Verde in the air-conditioned arena in Atlanta.The scheduled drinks breaks, not normally part of football, last three minutes each about midway through both halves of a game at the tournament in North America.
Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi takes a sip © CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
