Are hydration breaks now part of English football? Carabao Cup stoppages roundly booed

Aug 8, 2026 - 17:45

If there was one thing that English football fans did not want to see introduced to the game this season, it was hydration breaks.

So, why did some fixtures in the Carabao Cup first round on Saturday see a pause in play called by the referee for a drink?

The Powerade hydration break is displayed on the screen during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 16 match between Brazil and Norway at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 05, 2026 — Hydration breaks caused plenty of fan backlash at the World Cup

It appeared to take some supporters by shock as the largely condemned World Cup rule appeared to be used in England.

Halfway through each half in multiple ties across the country, including at West Ham‘s London Stadium and Leicester City‘s King Power, a break was called for the teams to take on some fluid.

And as those in the stands realised what was happening, a chorus of boos and angry chants filled stadiums – a reaction that is not surprising.

Hydration breaks were one of the main talking points of the summer, as every World Cup game was split into four quarters.

Each half of each game at the tournament saw a pause in play that allowed players to have a drink, but the break ended up becoming a chance for a team talk with the manager and coaches too.

FIFA were slammed for including the breaks, which were added to the rules to help out players when playing in scorching heat.

There were also many questions raised over whether that was the sole reason, or whether they were introduced for extra commercial time on TV coverage in the United States.

But with the World Cup over and temperatures not reaching the heights of those in the US during the 3pm kick-offs in the Carabao Cup, why were the hydration breaks used on Saturday?

Are hydration breaks now in English football?

Fortunately for fans in England, despite some expecting the breaks to eventually become the norm, it is not a new rule.

The EFL has told talkSPORT that it is not a new competition policy in the Carabao Cup to have the hydration pauses.

England players during a hydration break — The EFL have not made hydration breaks a new competition policy

There were breaks in the play during the first round clashes purely down to the decision of the officials in charge.

The referees decide on an individual basis depending on the weather, which is the standard protocol in the EFL – with temperatures on Saturday reaching highs of 29 degrees Celsius.

So, thankfully, it is not expected that the official hydration break ruling will be introduced in English football anytime soon.