When American soccer star Mia Hamm led the U.S. women’s national team to World Cup titles in 1991 and 1999, there was no such thing as hydration breaks.
FIFA has mandated hydration breaks for every match of the 2026 World Cup across North America, allowing players a three-minute break to get water and cool off at the 22-minute mark of each 45-minute half. The hydration breaks have proved controversial, with several players and coaches questioning if they are necessary.
Hamm joined the chorus of critics, telling USA TODAY’s Studio IX that she’s “not a fan.”
“It can be a momentum change for a lot of teams that are really going after teams,” Hamm said. “Then all of a sudden you get a break and now these coaches have iPads on the sideline. They’re getting information from coaches that are sitting in different areas of the field and you can make big tactical changes in those three minutes that are given. That can really change the course of the way your team is playing.”
Hydration breaks have previously been used during excessive heat, but the 2026 World Cup marks the first tournament where they will be mandated for every match.
“I understand why they did it and why they planned it,” Hamm added. “But I think right now the whole thing about the game of soccer is the coach gets to talk to you before the match and at halftime, and you’ve got to really figure it out on your own. You can try to make tactical changes at certain aspects of the game, but you can’t really hear your coaches during the match. I just would rather them play 45 minutes with added time just through rather than cutting it short.”
Hamm applauded the U.S. men’s national team’s performance so far, adding there’s “no one who supports the men’s team stronger than the women’s national team players, both current past.”
“We know how hard it is. We know the opportunity in front of them. Their success is incredibly important for the growth of our game in this country,” Hamm said. “I went to the first match that they played in Los Angeles and to see how they came out and wanted to play hard for themselves, for their families, but for the fans that were there to participate. Just an incredible environment.”
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.
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