What is a hydration break in soccer and when does the referee call one?
A hydration break — officially a cooling break — is a short pause, usually around the 30th minute of each half, when the referee stops play so players can drink and cool down. It's called in extreme heat, typically when the wet-bulb temperature passes about 32°C (90°F).
- 1The Laws of the Game allow the referee to grant 'drinks breaks' and longer 'cooling breaks' when conditions require them[1]
- 2Cooling breaks usually last about 90 seconds to 3 minutes; drinks breaks are shorter (around one minute)[1]
- 3The decision is based on heat and humidity, commonly measured with a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) reading, with about 32°C (90°F) used as a trigger[2]
- 4Any time used is added on as stoppage time, so the break does not shorten the match[1]
- 5FIFA first used cooling breaks at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and they returned for the hot 2026 host venues[2]
Soccer has no timeouts, so when it gets dangerously hot the referee can stop the clock for everyone at once. That pause is a cooling break — what most fans call a "hydration break."
When does the referee call one?
Typically around the 30th minute of each half. Players jog to the touchline to drink and cool down, while coaches use the moment for quick instructions.
What triggers it?
Heat plus humidity, not temperature alone. Officials often use a wet-bulb globe temperature reading, with around 32°C (90°F) the common threshold — relevant in 2026 for afternoon games in Dallas, Houston and Monterrey.
Does it cost playing time?
No. Whatever the clock loses is added back as stoppage time at the end of the half, the same as for injuries and substitutions.
Think of it like an official's heat timeout, but applied to both teams simultaneously — closer to MLB's hydration-and-heat protocols than an NBA timeout a coach can call whenever they want. No coach requests it; only the referee can, and only when the heat data crosses the line. And unlike American sports, the clock keeps "owing" that time and pays it back at the end of the half.
- IFAB — Law 7: The Duration of the Match(accessed 2026-06-13)
- FIFA — Heat management and cooling breaks at FIFA tournaments(accessed 2026-06-13)