Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) can intensely lessen the emissions from the energy sector through environmentally friendly attributes. This evaluation paper summarizes the key additives of the PEMFC which are associated with water formation and delivery inside the cell. The gas diffusion layer (GDL) plays a key role in reactant gas diffusion and water control in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. This paper also reviews updated literature regarding various hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials used for the improvement of the GDL and overall PEMFC performance. A style of carbon and steel-based microporous substrates (MPS) and microporous layer (MPL) and their impact in GDL overall performance are provided. Materials' properties that affect the performance of the MPL consisting of pore sizes, porosity, and permeability are additionally reviewed. Visualization of water in the flow channel and techniques to understand the mechanism of flow is reported. The failure modes related to the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and typical PEMFC degradation are discussed. Prospects for development and addressing the water management and degradation of PEMFC through the exploration of further experimental and numerical studies are presented. Highlights • Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) can be a good candidate for several applications • The material property of the GDL influences the overall fuel performance • Water transport if not properly managed can cause poor performance and failure of the fuel cell • There is need to understand how the fuel cell failure is related to the