ATLANTA — Saturday was hardly the first time anyone has seen a hydration break at a soccer match, but it did mark something different, insofar as the match was inside a climate-controlled dome, far from the hot and humid temperatures that generally trigger breaks at the club level.

Welcome to the 2026 World Cup, or at least a preview of it, where a game of two halves will inch closer to one of four quarters. The hydration break will be mandated in all games, regardless of conditions, midway through each half this summer. Not so coincidentally, FIFA will allow broadcasters to show commercials during the breaks.

The hydration breaks were implemented for Saturday’s 5-2 USMNT loss to Belgium, and will be for Tuesday’s match against Portugal as well, to replicate conditions for this summer.

Fans inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium were left wanting when the action stopped Saturday, booing in the 23rd minute. Some left for the concourse.

Tactically, it adds a different element too, as coaches have what is a de facto timeout to work with.

“To be honest, I don’t like it,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “I don’t like it because I think you cut the rhythm of the game. And I think after 20 minutes, like, OK, I understand when you play in an open stadium, maybe yes. We need to care about the health of the player.

“But in this type of stadium where it’s 21, 22, 23 degrees [celsius] and I think it’s perfect weather to play, pffft. … But that is the new rule that we need to accept.”

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia was not as critical.

“I like that because it is an opportunity for us coaches to speak with the team, to speak about strategy, the plan,” Garcia said. “We play as we know with our 4-3-3 and it was a good decision. So it was possible to speak with the team with these breaks. So it was very good. Interesting for me.”

The U.S. and Belgium both wore light-colored kits Saturday, creating a clash that was a problem for fans, TV viewers and players alike.

While no U.S. players went as far as blaming their performance on the kits, it was widely acknowledged to be an issue.

“That’s not an excuse at all because both teams deal with that, but that just was a bit strange,” Christian Pulisic said. “It was very different. I didn’t know until we took off our warmups prematch, whatever shirts, and then saw it. Everyone’s been shocked.”

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (AP/PTI)

Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of Portugal’s squad for the upcoming pre-FIFA World Cup friendlies, as head coach Roberto Martinez named his side on Friday.Portugal are scheduled to face Mexico national football team on March 28 at the Azteca Banorte Stadium, followed by a clash against the United States men’s national soccer team on March 31 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.Ronaldo’s absence is due to a muscle injury he sustained while playing for Al-Nassr. The striker has been undergoing recovery in Madrid after initially beginning rehabilitation in Saudi Arabia. Reports suggest his return has taken slightly longer than expected, leading to his omission from the squad.Martinez, however, played down concerns over the veteran forward’s fitness ahead of the World Cup.“The World Cup is not at risk! He is not at risk. It is a minor muscle injury, and we think he can return in a week or two. Everything Cristiano has done physically during the season shows that he is in great shape,” he said.The injury, identified as a hamstring issue following Al-Nassr’s game against Al Fayha, forced Ronaldo to step away despite being in top form. He currently leads the league’s Golden Boot race with 21 goals, while Al-Nassr sit atop the table with 67 points from 26 matches.In another notable decision, Bernardo Silva was also left out, with Martinez confirming it was a “technical decision” based on medical inputs from his club.Portugal will begin their preparations in Mexico next week, assembling on Monday before starting training on Tuesday. Looking ahead to the World Cup, Portugal have been placed in Group K alongside Uzbekistan, Colombia and a yet-to-be-decided qualifier, with their campaign set to begin on June 17 in Houston.Ronaldo remains a central figure for Portugal on the global stage. The upcoming tournament will mark his sixth World Cup appearance, adding to a glittering international career that includes leading the nation to the UEFA Euro 2016 title and triumphs in the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.Portugal squad:Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rui Silva (Sporting CP)Defenders: Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), João Cancelo (FC Barcelona), Nuno Mendes (PSG), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP), Renato Veiga (Villarreal), Antonio Silva (SL Benfica), Tomas Araujo (SL Benfica)Midfielders: Ruben Neves (Al Hilal), Samu Costa (Mallorca), Mateus Fernandes (West Ham), Joao Neves (PSG), Vitinha (PSG), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Rodrigo Mora (FC Porto)Forwards: Ricardo Horta (SC Braga), Pedro Goncalves (Sporting CP), João Felix (Al Nassr), Francisco Trincão (Sporting CP), Francisco Conceicão (Juventus), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Goncalo Guedes (Real Sociedad), Goncalo Ramos (PSG)

Iran football team has hit out at the United States of America (USA) President Donald Trump after the politician issued a veiled threat to the Asian team if they participated in the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the North American country. Iran are scheduled to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

But the ongoing war between Iran and the US has changed the dynamics. Amid the geopolitical tension, US President Trump said on Thursday that while the Iranian soccer ‌team was welcome to participate in the FIFA World Cup, it was not appropriate that they be there “for their own life and safety”.

“The Iran ​national soccer team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t believe it ⁠is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” Trump said on ​Truth Social.

Iran lash out at Trump’s ‘safety’ warning for 2026 World Cup

Hitting out at Trump for trying to threaten its football team, the Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) said late on Thursday that the United States must be stripped of hosting rights for the FIFA World Cup as it could not guarantee the safety of players.

“The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA — not any individual or country,” the Iranian Football Association said in an Instagram Story.

“Iran’s national team, with strength and a series of decisive victories achieved by the brave sons of Iran, was among the first teams to qualify for this major tournament. Certainly, no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that could be excluded is on that merely carries the title of “host” yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”

FIFA stays mum as Trump threatens Iran

Trump later clarified that any threat to Iranian players at the FIFA World Cup would not come from the ‌United ⁠States.

“It will be the Greatest and Safest Sporting Event in American History,” he said in a latest Truth Social post. “All Players, Officials, and Fans will be treated like the “STARS” that they are!”

It has to be noted that Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali has already officially said that the country
would not take part in the World Cup amid its ongoing war with the US.

Iran’s withdrawal from the World Cup is going to be a first in modern-day football, but governing body FIFA has not clarified who will replace Iran, nor has it rebuked Trump for his recent comments.

Big Apple lawmakers are refusing to roll back any restrictions on the home-sharing rentals as Airbnb pushes the new admin to loosen the laws ahead of the World Cup, The Post has learned.

Airbnb has recently made another massive attempt to break back into the New York City market, after burning millions of dollars previously, pushing new legislation to allow home rentals without the owner present, the paper exclusively revealed last week.

But a coalition of council committee chairs has already shut the door on any changes.

Follow live updates on Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist agenda and the latest in NYC politics

“We want to make it clear: this is not a proposal that we will entertain,” reads a letter to City Hall, which was obtained by The Post.

“These rules are in place for a reason. Suspending short-term rental regulations, even temporarily, would undermine housing stability at the exact moment when renters are the most vulnerable.”

Freshman Mayor Zohran Mamdani sided with the council, shutting down the proposal.

“The Mamdani Administration is excited to welcome visitors from all over the world to enjoy our city and the World Cup. But we will not do so at the expense of working-class families,” said City Hall spokesperson Cassio Mendoza when asked about the proposal.

“The Mayor is not considering any changes to the short-term rental laws that could raise housing costs for New Yorkers.”

Airbnb has been trying to overturn  Local Law 18 since it was passed three years ago, which essentially shut down the home-rental market in the city by strictly regulating any rentals under 30 days.

Rob Solano, Cofounder and Executive Director of Churches United For Fair Housing, railed that Airbnb was “pushing a fantasy” to overturn the 2023 law.

Namibia players train on the eve of the match against USA.
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu

Team India’s arrival in Colombo (ANI video grab)

NEW DELHI: Team India got a grand and colourful welcome when they landed in Colombo on Friday ahead of their high-voltage T20 World Cup match against Pakistan. Local musicians and dancers greeted the players at the airport with traditional drums and performances, creating a festive atmosphere. Arshdeep Singh grabbed everyone’s attention by dancing to the beats, and his fun moment is expected to go viral on social media.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir looked serious and focused as he walked through the welcome ceremony, staying true to his intense personality. Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya arrived in style with his girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma, showing his trademark swagger with a trendy look. Watch: Pacer Arshdeep Singh stole the show with his energetic dance and cheerful vibe.On the cricket field, India will hope to make Pakistan “dance” with their performance. The team will rely on a strong batting lineup featuring players like Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, and either Abhishek Sharma or Sanju Samson. Abhishek is recovering from a stomach infection and will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing start to the tournament.Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya have impressive records against Pakistan in past matches, and Ishan Kishan is also in good form. Tilak Varma has done well against Pakistan before and will aim to deliver another strong performance in the big clash.Since Sri Lanka is known for spin-friendly pitches, Varun Chakravarthy could be an important bowler for India and may play a key role in the match.