The Premier League has confirmed that matches will continue through to half-time and full-time in each half without planned stoppages. This decision comes despite hydration breaks featuring in the Carabao Cup and EFL already this season. The Premier League has previously implemented water breaks in the past, though they will not be a feature of the 2026/27 season.
Hydration breaks were first introduced during Project Restart in 2020, after the 2019/20 season resumed in June before running into July. They were reintroduced at the start of the 2022/23 season, following extreme heat in areas of England and Wales. The feature was met with loud jeers from supporters, and it seems that the Premier League has taken note of this reaction. FIFA's head of global football development Arsene Wenger revealed after the World Cup that the use of hydration breaks would be reviewed, following the negative response to the stoppages.
The Premier League returns for the start of the 2026/27 season this weekend, featuring a raft of new signings and three promoted clubs, as well as several rule changes.