▲ Hydration break at the Atlanta stadium on the 18th (local time)
The "hydration breaks" introduced at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America have become a center of controversy, drawing boos from fans.
Today (June 19), during the Group A second match between the Czech Republic and South Africa at the Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, U.S., spectators jeered when the hydration break was called around the 22nd minute of both the first and second halves.
In this World Cup, three-minute breaks are being implemented in the middle of each half to allow players to hydrate and catch their breath, considering the hot and humid weather in the host nations—the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
While some view these breaks positively as a way to protect player health and serve as a tactical timeout, critics argue that they disrupt the flow of the game and merely increase advertising time.
About 60,000 fans gathered at the Atlanta Stadium for the Czech Republic vs. South Africa match expressed their disapproval by booing as soon as the hydration break began.
The jeering grew louder during the second half, prompting the stadium to suddenly blast "Take Me Home, Country Roads," the classic hit by American country singer-songwriter John Denver, which begins with the lyrics "Almost heaven, West Virginia."
As the world-famous song played, fans in the stands began to sing along. The massive circular screen surrounding the upper interior of the stadium displayed various fans, drawing their attention and effectively drowning out the boos directed at the break.
In the post-match press conference, South Africa head coach Hugo Broos suggested that such mid-game breaks might not be necessary in stadiums that are not particularly hot.
The Atlanta Stadium, where the South Africa-Czech Republic match took place, is a retractable-roof stadium with a unique design resembling a camera aperture and is fully equipped with air conditioning.
Although Atlanta experienced high humidity following a rainstorm after the match, the temperature during the day was in the mid-20s°C (mid-70s°F), and the stadium was kept cool with air conditioning during the game.
"When it is hot, a break to hydrate is very useful. But it breaks the rhythm of the game," Broos said. "When you are dominating the game, having that flow interrupted for a few minutes—there should be some distinction."
He added, "The outdoor training field we used yesterday was very hot. In such an environment, a time to drink something is understandable, but in a stadium like this, players don't need to drink water after 20 minutes. I will accept it because it is the rule, but it is not a good thing to have to drink water when you are dominating the game."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.