England may have made the ideal start to their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory against Croatia on Wednesday, but the match was punctuated by boos. The jeers were not directed at the players or officials, but at a controversial addition to games for this tournament: hydration breaks.
Two pauses per game — one in the middle of each half, each lasting three minutes — were introduced to help players cope with the summer heat in North America. While some national team bosses have welcomed them, fans seem less keen. In the air-conditioned Dallas Stadium, England and Croatia supporters united to jeer the break in play.
“Fans booed hydration breaks during England's World Cup win, criticising them as ad-driven and flow-breaking.”
The main source of criticism is the perception that the breaks are an additional revenue stream, with broadcasters using the time to show more adverts. “The hydration breaks are obviously for one purpose and that's big money for advertisements,” said one England fan after the game. “In this stadium, I don't think they were needed but in another with no air conditioning and you are playing in 90 degrees plus, they are absolutely essential.”
Another Three Lions supporter added: “Yes, if you are outside you need a hydration break, I get that. But you are in an air conditioned stadium — you don't need one. It stops the flow. Football is about the flow and there's no need to stop the flow in an air-conditioned stadium.”
This was not the first game where boos have greeted the hydration break. The wave of dislike appears to be gathering momentum. On Tuesday, during Norway’s match against Iraq in Boston, the pause in play was booed even though the temperature was a manageable 23C. Iraq, goalless just before the break, conceded four minutes after play resumed and went on to lose 4-1.
Loud boos also rang out during Sweden’s 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia on Monday and Spain’s goalless draw with Cape Verde on the same day, the latter played in the air-conditioned Atlanta Stadium. And after England’s win against Croatia, the first hydration break during the match between Ghana and Panama was also greeted by jeers.
The hydration breaks have effectively turned games into four quarters rather than two halves, a concern for those England supporters who booed. “It is like the Americanisation of football,” one fan said.