The second-half hydration break was scrapped in France’s World Cup clash against Iraq on Monday after adverse weather delayed play for more than two hours – as England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted the pauses are damaging the “beautiful game”.
Heavy rain and lightning forced officials to tell supporters at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to “exit the open seating areas” during the interval, with France leading 1-0 thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s 14th-minute goal. A FIFA spokesperson confirmed: “No hydration break in the second half.”
“Thomas Tuchel says World Cup hydration breaks 'change the identity of the match' after France's second-half pause was cancelled due to weather.”
The three-minute breaks were introduced by FIFA for all 104 matches of this summer’s tournament due to expected high temperatures in North America. But they have proved controversial, enabling commercial broadcasters to show advertisements and allowing managers to deliver tactical instructions, disrupting the flow of games.
A day before England’s second Group L game against Ghana in Boston – where rain and 18C temperatures are forecast – Tuchel admitted the breaks are worse than he expected. The 52-year-old, whose team won all eight qualifiers without conceding, said: “I think it interrupts and changes the identity of the football match much more than I thought. I had hydration breaks before when it was really, really hot and needed, but they were shorter. They were shorter and they were just in a few matches.
“In the interests of fairness here, it is now done in every match for every team. It breaks the match almost in four quarters. And I think it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought.”
England’s fans jeered the first-half break in their opening win over Croatia in Dallas – a match played under a roof in an air-conditioned arena. Tuchel added: “I like it as a coach, of course, because it is good to have influence and have my team together. Overall, though, I think I like football more when it’s played in one go in one half because it builds a momentum. It’s part of the game.”
The criticism echoes that of Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk, who told reporters after his side’s 2-2 draw with Japan at the air-conditioned AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas: “Hydration breaks are a bit interesting... every time going to commercial is a bit... Not really that I like it. I think for the neutral watchers on TV it’s also not great.”
Despite the rain and cooler conditions forecast in Boston, the breaks will continue in every match. But Tuchel’s side may benefit from a fitness boost: Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, who arrived at the World Cup camp carrying an Achilles injury, is expected to be available for Tuesday’s clash.