Fans boo hydration break during England-Croatia World Cup match

17 Jun 2026, 20:35 · CNA · Join

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group L - England v Croatia - Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S. - June 17, 2026 Croatia's Luka Modric, Josko Gvardiol and Luka Vuskovic during a hydration break REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group L - England v Croatia - Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S. - June 17, 2026 England's Harry Kane splashes water on his face during a hydration break REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

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DALLAS, June 17 : Loud boos echoed around Dallas Stadium at the start of the first hydration break during the World Cup clash between England and Croatia on Wednesday as fans signalled their disdain for the innovation.

FIFA's mandatory three-minute breaks, one in each half, have proved controversial since being introduced for the first time at this World Cup to help players deal with the heat and humidity of the North American summer.

Some critics say the breaks kill the flow of the game, while others see their introduction as a cynical ploy to split the game into four quarters and allow broadcasters more opportunities to show adverts.

Some England fans had said on social media they would be signal their objection at Wednesday's match and the boos started from both sets of supporters as soon as referee Clement Turpin blew his whistle to signal the break in the 22nd minute.

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There were also boos from the crowd when the first break started on Tuesday in Norway's match against Iraq at Boston Stadium, where the temperature was a mild 23 degrees Celsius (73.4°F).

Iraq were holding the Norwegians at 0-0 and playing well when the break started but conceded a goal four minutes after play resumed and lost 4-1.

Fans boo hydration break during England-Croatia World Cup match

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