Thomas Tuchel has a problem with water breaks. The England head coach went public on June 22 with pointed criticism of FIFA’s mandatory hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup, arguing the stoppages are fragmenting matches and stripping football of its essential rhythm.
His complaint lands with particular bite given the context. England’s Group L match against Ghana on June 23 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is forecasted to see temperatures of around 19°C (66°F) with rain. That’s roughly the climate of a pleasant English afternoon. And yet, the breaks will happen anyway.
Football in four quarters
FIFA introduced mandatory hydration breaks in both halves of every World Cup match this tournament, framing the policy as a fairness measure across venues with varying climates.
Tuchel described the breaks as effectively splitting matches into four quarters, a structure that belongs to American football or basketball, not the sport being played inside those borrowed stadiums.
