An argument I've heard is that since hydration breaks can affect the game, if you are going to have them they should be mandatory and at the same time in all games in a tournament rather than doing them like they did when they were originally introduced in 2014. Then they were only done in games when the conditions on the field got dangerous.
I can't remember this sports without a hydration break (half time). So they've been mandatory for a long time.
Seems like the wrong spot to optimize for fairness / equal playing conditions when the weather itself affects the game in so many more ways.
football games can have "momentum". An extra break allows for a breather and a tactical intervention from the coach. That also why we saw keepers sitting down (faking injury) in the Premier league last season.
Anyway, a hydration break while it's raining is a bit of a tell it has nothing to do with the needs of the players.
I was in one of those enclosed stadiums. It was not air conditioned. It was hot as hell, above 30c the entire game.
It was 14C in the Azteca though.
Not all stadiums were enclosed
Telling of what? I imagine if you're running around like eg Ronaldo would be during a game, it doesn't matter how air conditioned the space is, he'd still need to hydrate, on account of all the running that happens. I'm no football expert, but I'm lead to believe that does happen during matches.