What happened with the hydration break in Mexico - Ecuador? Weather delays in Mexico City
The World Cup round of 32 clash in Mexico City was delayed for an hour and FIFA announced it would cancel the mid-game breaks.
The introduction of hydration breaks has been one of the more controversial of the changes for the 2026 World Cup. Weather disruption pushed FIFA to announce that the breaks would be dropped for Mexico - Ecuador on Tuesday but the referee had other ideas.
The round of 32 clash in Mexico City was delayed for an hour due to thunderstorms in the area. That lengthy delay pushed the kick-off back to 8pm local time and FIFA announced that the hydration breaks would be scrapped.
“Due to adverse weather conditions in Mexico City, including risk caused by lightning in the vicinity of the stadium, kick-off has been delayed to 8pm local time (10pm ET).
“No hydration breaks will take place during this match. The safety and security of all individuals is FIFA’s priority. We thank all fans for their understanding and cooperation.”
However referee Slavko Vincić had other ideas. Despite the earlier announcement from FIFA, Vincić stopped play for a hydration drink in the first half against Mexico. The break actually stopped a promising Mexico counter-attack, sparking loud groans form home fans in Mexico City.
Follow the action live: Mexico - Ecuador, World Cup 2026
Ahead of the tournament FIFA announced that all games at the 2026 World Cup would feature hydration breaks, arguing that it creates a level playing field if all games are played with the same conditions. Hydration breaks are typically only used during high temperatures.
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