The NWSL has updated its heat safety policy, and simplified hydration breaks, as the league prepares to return to play in the summer months across the United States.
The NWSL made the announcement on Wednesday along with several competition updates that will take effect immediately, some of which are already in place for the 2026 Men’s World Cup.
Under the new heat policy, all hydration breaks will last between 2.5 and 3 minutes for wet bulb globe temperatures between 82.3 and 92.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
Previously, the NWSL had a staggered approach that included the possibility of five-minute hydration breaks.
According to the league, feedback from players and teams suggested that five-minute breaks were too long.
Hydration breaks have been a polarizing topic at the 2026 Men’s World Cup.
Read more:What are Trump’s connections to the Tate brothers exactly? | Rebecca Solnit | The Guardian
Every match at that tournament is required to pause around 22 minutes into each half for a hydration break. Those breaks are three minutes long.
The execution of the breaks during the 2026 Men’s World Cup has been widely ridiculed as a money grab by FIFA, so much so that FIFA president Gianni Infantino issued a statement on Tuesday defending the necessity of the breaks and claiming that FIFA gains “absolutely nothing” from them commercially, despite recent reports that broadcasters could make hundreds of millions of dollars off advertising from the breaks.
The NWSL’s heat policy update comes less than a year after the league’s latest controversial moment regarding extreme weather.
Last August, a game between the Kansas City Current and the visiting Orlando Pride was delayed for over three hours due to extreme heat.
The repeated delays to the start of the match brought confusion and frustration to players, team staff, and fans, and led to tension between the teams involved and NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman following disagreements over whether the match should be delayed.
During the process, Berman threatened to fine Kansas City for the team’s handling of the delay.
Read more:The homilies and addresses of Pope Leo XIV are now coming to English readers
That game was slated to be a 3 p.m. kickoff in a rare broadcast television slot, but the repeated delays meant the game was moved to online streaming only.
Barbra Banda, Orlando’s star forward, was injured in the match, and the Kansas City Star reported that at least 16 people were treated for heat-related injuries at CPKC Stadium, with one transported to a hospital.
Any wet bulb reading of 92.1 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will still result in a delay to a match.
The NWSL has attempted to limit midday kickoffs during summer months, although they still exist due to venue scheduling and broadcast factors.
The league used to play day games regularly due to afternoon TV time slots.
Read more:Ghana coach: ‘VAR went for coffee’ to aid ‘lucky’ England
In May 2017, Houston Dash forward Rachel Daly collapsed at the end of a home match as temperatures soared into the 90s for the afternoon kickoff. She was taken to a hospital to be treated for heat illness.
All teams are now required to designate one senior member of their gameday staff as a primary contact for coordinating with the NWSL, which could prevent further issues like the one in Kansas City last year.
The current policy calls for up to five temperature readings to assess the conditions.
The NWSL also announced on Wednesday that it would adopt two competition rules already in place for the 2026 Men’s World Cup, effective immediately.
Players receiving medical treatment may be required to league the field for a one-minute treatment period before re-entering the field (with certain exceptions, like if the injury was the result of a yellow or red card to the opposition).
The NWSL will also implement timed substitutions, meaning players must leave the field within 10 seconds of the stoppage of play for the event. If they do not, the player substituting into the match will be held off the field until the first stoppage in play following a one-minute delay, forcing the team to compete down a player.
Read more:David hat trick sees Canada rout Qatar for 1st ever World Cup win
Both policies are meant to reduce time wasting and unnecessary stoppages.
The NWSL already implemented other new policies at the start of the season that fall in line with new global standards, including a new measure preventing teams from approaching their benches during goalkeeper injuries, which were often used to disrupt the momentum of opponents.
The NWSL’s regular season is roughly halfway complete.
The league paused for the start of the Men’s World Cup, which is utilizing several NWSL teams’ home venues and practice facilities. Regular season games resume next week. Kansas City and Gotham FC will play in the NWSL Challenge Cup in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, when the new rules will first be in effect.
The match is a one-off between last year’s champion (Gotham) and Shield winner.
Read more:Longevity and the Mediterranean diet: Expert takeaways for health
Additionally, the NWSL announced on Wednesday that it has updated its Fan Code of Conduct to extend to online behavior.
The new Digital Code of Conduct prohibits threatening and abusive online behavior toward players, clubs, officials and fellow fans.
The consequences for such behavior mirror those of in-stadium conduct.
Fans who are identified as being abusive online could face sanctions that include revocation of tickets (if they have them) and bans from NWSL events.
The NWSL said that all of the updates announced on Wednesday “were developed in consultation with key stakeholders including the NWSL Players Association, clubs, medical and competition personnel and the Professional Referee Organization (PRO).”
