USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino annoyed by new hydration break rule
USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said he was annoyed by hydration breaks midway through each half.
ATLANTA — U. S. men's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino said he was "annoyed" by hydration breaks midway through each half, which his side experienced for the first time in a 5-2 defeat to Belgium on Saturday, March 28 .
In December, FIFA announced that every 2026 World Cup game will feature three-minute hydration breaks midway through both halves. The breaks aren't a new concept, but have previously only been used in games with excessive heat conditions. That certainly was not the case on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which had its roof closed and air conditioning on to create an ideal climate-controlled environment.
In addition to player safety concerns, there are commercial implications with the new rule. Broadcasters will have the chance to sell advertising space during the breaks, which FIFA has said it will allow. Pochettino said that the breaks, which essentially turn a game of two halves into one of four quarters, disrupt the rhythm of the game unnecessarily.
“To be honest I don’t like (them),” Pochettino said in his post-game press conference. “I don’t like it because I think you cut the rhythm of the game. "I understand when you play in open stadiums, maybe yes, we need to care about the health of the players.