Mauricio Pochettino brings NBA-style laptop tactics to FIFA World Cup hydration breaks

Mauricio Pochettino gathered his US men’s national team players around a MacBook during a hydration break in their 3-2 friendly win over Senegal on May 31. An analyst displayed tactical footage while the Argentine coach pointed out adjustments in real time.

It looked like an NBA timeout. And that’s exactly the point.

FIFA’s new hydration break rules open the door

FIFA has implemented a new policy for the 2026 World Cup that permits coaches to use laptops or similar devices during mandatory hydration breaks. Each half will feature two of these breaks, each lasting three minutes, giving coaching staffs a window that previously didn’t exist in competitive soccer.

Pochettino took full advantage during the Senegal friendly, treating the pause like a film session. The coach described video feedback as “really important” for helping players understand tactical instructions that might otherwise get lost in the noise of a live match.

This is a significant departure from soccer tradition. Historically, coaches have been limited to shouting from the touchline or waiting until halftime to deliver detailed tactical adjustments.

Pochettino’s mixed feelings about the breaks themselves

Pochettino isn’t fully sold on the concept of mandatory hydration breaks. He’s expressed reservations about their necessity, arguing they should be reserved for extreme weather conditions rather than mandated in every match regardless of climate.

But the coach is pragmatic. If FIFA is going to force the breaks into the game, he’s going to use every second of them. The Senegal match served as a live rehearsal for how the USMNT plans to leverage these pauses when the World Cup kicks off on North American soil.

FIFA introduced the mandatory hydration breaks as part of health initiatives to safeguard players against high temperatures and humidity across the tournament’s host nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

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