FIFA Mid-Half Hydration Breaks Face World Cup Backlash Over Lost Momentum

ATLANTA, Georgia — Curaçao supporters erupted in celebration while German players looked stunned. Livano Comenencia had found the net for the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the World Cup, pulling level against four-time champions Germany. With the score at 1-1 in Houston, a historic upset appeared within reach.

Then came the hydration break. Curaçao surrendered the initiative and conceded two goals before the interval, on the way to a 7-1 defeat.

"I actually felt sorry for them," former England striker Alan Shearer told The Rest is Football podcast. "They scored and then it was maybe 30 seconds after that it stopped. So it's killed their momentum."

FIFA's new hydration breaks, called midway through each half and a first for the World Cup, were brought in to help players cope with summer heat across venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Critics, however, say the stoppages carry unintended effects — breaking up the flow of play and giving coaches room to reset tactics and shift momentum in their side's favour.

Player welfare remains a serious concern, with temperatures expected to top 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) at the tournament's hottest grounds. Some observers argue the breaks are less about safety and more about giving broadcasters a window for mid-match commercials.

"We're in America, right? So, it's like it is a timeout," former Ireland international Roy Keane said on The Overlap, a podcast he co-hosts with long-time Manchester United teammate Gary Neville. "We love football because of the pace of the game ... what it's doing is stopping the flow of the game, the momentum."