FIFA hydration breaks have sparked criticism from different groups. But what do they actually do?‎

For the first time in World Cup history, FIFA is mandating all soccer players take hydration breaks to protect them from the threats of extreme heat. In response to concerns about extreme heat, FIFA implemented three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half regardless of temperatures. “When we look at the three minute hydration breaks, we're really looking at this as a way to mitigate anything that could potentially lead to an incident or an emergency,” said Joshua L. DeVincenzo, assistant director of applied research services at Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness.