Bonus: Are the World Cup's hydration breaks here to stay?
Global News Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 8.3K Ratings
🗓️ 27 June 2026
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Fifa has introduced mandatory hydration breaks for this World Cup, essentially splitting the games into four quarters. The mandatory three-minute drinks stoppage at all 104 games has been introduced to help players cope with the stifling heat and humidity levels in Mexico, Canada and the United States. It has been criticised for allowing coaches to make tactical changes while broadcasters can - and many have - opted to cut to lucrative commercial breaks while play is halted.
The breaks have also attracted criticism from the likes of the Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk and USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Fifa says the measure "is part of a focused attempt to ensure the best possible conditions for players, drawing upon the experiences of previous tournaments, including the recent FIFA Club World Cup."
In a special bonus episode from the More than the Score podcast, the BBC’s Lee James is joined in Toronto by CBC's Olympic and sports commentator Matt Cullen, and BBC football tactics correspondent Umir Irfan, to discuss who benefits from a mid-half break in play - players or broadcasters?
More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello, I'm Alex Ritson from the Global News podcast. As the World Cup reaches its knockout stage, |
| 0:11.9 | we thought you'd enjoy hearing from another BBC World Service podcast more than the score. |
| 0:17.1 | They're telling the stories of teams, trends and fandums changing the game in the way the stats don't show. |
| 0:23.1 | And in this episode, they examine one of this year's most controversial developments, |
| 0:28.7 | the introduction of mandatory hydration breaks. |
| 0:32.0 | You can listen to the whole episode right here. |
| 0:34.6 | I hope you enjoy it. |
| 0:36.2 | Hello, I'm Lee James, and this is More Than the Score, |
| 0:38.9 | the BBC World Service podcast that's looking at the stories beyond the scorelines |
| 0:42.8 | at the FIFA Men's World Cup. |
| 0:45.2 | FIFA has introduced mandatory hydration breaks for this World Cup. |
| 0:48.7 | They've essentially split the games into four quarters. |
| 0:51.7 | So who's benefiting more, the players or the broadcasters? |
| 1:04.6 | Well, it has become a familiar scene during this World Cup. The referee blows the whistle to stop the game, |
| 1:09.4 | 22 minutes into each half, to allow players to rehydrate. |
| 1:13.5 | These mandatory three-minute drinks breaks and all 104 games are but introduced to help players cope with the stifling heat and humidity levels in Mexico, Canada and the United States. |
| 1:24.2 | It allows coaches to make tactical changes and the the broadcasters can, and many have |
| 1:28.8 | cashed in with lucrative commercial breaks while players halted. It's become one of the major |
| 1:33.7 | talking points at this summer's World Cup, attracting criticism from the likes of the Netherlands |
| 1:37.6 | Captain Virgil Van Dyke and the US head coach Marizio Pochitino. I'm in one of the host cities, |
| 1:43.3 | Toronto, in Canada. So what do the fans here feel about it? I went along to the Nathan Phillips Square, a large open plaza in the centre of the city. It's where there's usually an ice rink. Now there are mini football pitches with children playing games and a large screen showing the matches. We're watching on the big screen here in Toronto, the Argentina-Algeria game. |
| 2:03.6 | It's just gone to the first hydration break. |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 10 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.