Every FIFA World Cup 2026 match will have a three-minute pause in the middle of each half – effectively splitting the game into quarters – for a mandatory “hydration break”.
The move was finalised at meetings with coaches and broadcasters held alongside last Friday’s tournament draw.
All parties – including FIFA’s medical team – backed the measure.
Reduces heat risks
According to FIFA, the break is primarily a player-safety initiative aimed at reducing heat and fatigue risks.
But it also carries clear tactical consequences: during the pause, coaches will be able to talk to players, make adjustments – and potentially change the course of games.
This will be the first ever World Cup with 48 nations, divided into 12 groups of four teams each, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026.
The top two finishers in each of the 12 groups plus the eight best third-placed finishers will progress to the Round of 32.
Opening match
Meanwhile, at the draw, South Africa were pitted in Group A alongside co-costs Mexico, South Korea and a yet-to-be-determined European team that will emerge from a four-team playoff set to take place in early 2026.
The spot will be filled by the overall winner of the two ‘semi-finals’ between Denmark and North Macedonia, and Czech Republic and Ireland.
According to the latest FIFA world rankings, Mexico are ranked 15th in the world, South Korea are 22nd and South Africa are 61st.
Meanwhile, Denmark are in 21st place, North Macedonia are 65th, Czech Republic find themselves in 44th spot and Ireland are 59th.
Wrap up against South Korea
Bafana Bafana will also lock horns with Mexico in the opening game of the tournament – which will be a repeat of the opening clash of the 2010 World Cup which ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
Hugo Broos’s men will then take on the as-yet undetermined European team and will conclude their group commitments against South Korea.
In the Round of 32:
- The winner of Group A will advance to play the third-placed team of Group C, Group E, Group F, Group H, or Group I
- The runner-up of Group A will advance to play the runner-up of Group B
- The third-placed team of Group A might advance to play the winner of Group E or Group G (if one of the eight best third-placed teams from the group stage)
Bafana Bafana’s Group A fixtures
Thursday, 11 June
Mexico vs South Africa, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – 22:00 (SA time)
Thursday, 18 June
South Africa vs Playoff winner, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 19:00 (SA time).
Wednesday, 25 June
South Korea vs South Africa, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe – 04:00 (SA time)
Bafana Bafana’s FIFA World Cup 2026 stadiums
Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca (officially known as Estadio Banorte for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium located in Coyoacán, Mexico City. It is the official home of football team Club América, as well as the Mexico national team. The stadium sits at an altitude of 2 200m (7 200 feet) above sea level. With a capacity of 87 523, it is the largest stadium in Latin America and the eighth-largest association football stadium in the world.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a retractable roof multi-purpose stadium in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States. Opened in 2017 as a replacement for the Georgia Dome, it is the home to the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL), Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer (MLS), and an expansion team of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The stadium is owned by the state of Georgia through the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, and operated by AMB Group, the parent organisation of the Falcons and Atlanta United FC. In 2016, the total cost of its construction was estimated at $1.6 billion.
Estadio BBVA
Estadio BBVA, formerly known as Estadio BBVA Bancomer, is an association football stadium located in Guadalupe, Greater Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. Dubbed “El Gigante de Acero” (‘The steel giant’), it replaced the Estadio Tecnológico as the home of C.F. Monterrey, ending the club’s 63-year tenure at that venue. The stadium was inaugurated on 2 August 2015 with the eighth edition of the Eusébio Cup, where Monterrey defeated Benfica 3-0.
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