Thursday briefing: Infantino defends World Cup hydration breaks and eyes future use

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the mandatory hydration breaks introduced at the 2026 World Cup, saying the measure has benefited players and could be retained at future tournaments. He also rejected suggestions that football’s governing body is generating additional income from the stoppages.

According to FIFA, the three-minute breaks, held midway through each half, were introduced to help players cope with the high temperatures during the tournament.

However, the