“Please contact the home team to arrange for two water breaks in each half.”

The women’s team I coach was due to play an official match late in July, and I made the request above to our team manager about a week before the match. The match was played in 40 minute halves, so if we took two water breaks in each half, the match would be stopped every 13 minutes or so, but we had to prioritise the safety of the players.

The intense heat of recent summers in Japan is no longer “abnormal” but is becoming “the norm.” Needless to say, it would not be safe to play a football match during the daytime in July and August, but due to the circumstances of the opposite team and the simple fact that it was the only date we could secure a ground, we decided to play the match at this time of year.

The opposing team, who were the home team, replied right away, “We have contacted the referee in charge and have received her approval.”

The end of the rainy season in Tokyo was announced on 18 July, three days before the match. I was glad that I had requested for extra water breaks, but I remained concerned about the potential for intense heat following the end of the rainy season.

The match was scheduled to be kicked off at 10 am and when we arrived at the pitch just after 8 am, the sun was already beating down. In fact, the sunlight was so intense that it would be more accurate to describe it as “brutal” rather than “intense.”

Unfortunately, the changing rooms were located more than five minutes on foot from the pitch, and there was no suitable place to take a three-minute cooling break, which would allow the players to rest and lower their body temperatures. So, I approached the manager of the opposing team to suggest the following solution.

“The players are supposed to stay on the pitch when they take a water break during a match, but since this pitch has a covered bench where the players can cool off, let’s ask the referee for permission to allow the players to leave the pitch and take the water breaks on the bench.”

The manager of the opposing team immediately agreed, saying, “That's a good idea,” and the two of us made the suggestion when the referee arrived. The referee responded by saying, “Let me think about it,” but after discussing the matter with the two assistant referees, she came back and immediately agreed to our request, saying, “We understand the situation. Let's carry out the match as you suggested.”

Our opponents were very good so we had a difficult time being pinned back, but we had been holding well until midway through the second half. However, we conceded a goal through a slight lapse in concentration and then conceded another goal just before the final whistle to lose the match 0-2. I was surprised there was five minutes of additional time, but considering there were two water breaks, two goals and several substitutions, it was probably appropriate.

“Let's make sure we won't make the same mistake in the future.”

That was what I told my players after the match, but I also praised them for working together and fighting to the end in such difficult conditions.

But the most reassuring thing was that we could finish the match with none of our team, the opponents or the three referees falling ill.

The Japan Football Association (JFA) revised and distributed the “Guidelines for the Prevention of Heatstroke” on 21 May 2024, which states that “depending on the situation, there is no problem with taking more than two water breaks in each half of the match.” So, there is nothing wrong with our first suggestion. However, the guidelines do not allow players to leave the pitch and take water breaks in the shade of the bench.

Nevertheless, the opposing team and the referees used their common sense to ensure a safe match for everyone. It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the game to try and make the match as safe as possible in the circumstances we are given. I was very pleased to see that everyone was aware of this responsibility and tried to fulfil it.

When we think about how to respect the game, the safety of the players is paramount. As I left the pitch, where the heat was getting even more intense, I thought to myself, “Next year we will avoid playing in July at all costs.”

Written by OSUMI Yoshiyuki (Football Journalist)

*This article was originally posted on the Japan Football Association Newsletter, “JFAnews,” September 2024 edition.

Japan Football Association Newsletter “JFAnews”

The Japan Football Association Newsletter “JFAnews” contains all the information on the Japan National Team, events hosted by JFA, tournament results, and team information throughout the nation. The official monthly magazine is a must read for coaches, referees, and all members of the football family.

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