FIFA hydration breaks become advertising windows amid World Cup criticism

The mandatory pauses

FIFA introduced official hydration breaks for the 2026 World Cup, supposedly to protect players from heat. Each match now includes two three-minute interruptions, one in the 22nd minute and another in the 67th, with referees stopping play so that players can drink and cool down. The rule applies to all 104 tournament fixtures, regardless of actual temperatures.

A television windfall

Broadcasters, especially the US network Fox Sports, have turned those breaks into full advertising blocks. Michael Johnson, an analyst at S&P Global, told La Gazzetta dello Sport that each slot can command Super Bowl-level prices, reaching 7 to 9 million dollars. The financial incentive is clear, and critics argue it is the real driver behind the rule.

“Each advertising slot can reach Super Bowl prices, between 7 and 9 million dollars.”

The Mexico-South Africa farce

The controversy erupted during the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca. Fox aired a commercial block that ran long. Referee Wilton Sampaio had to hold the players on the pitch, and when the broadcast returned, the game had already resumed. Viewers missed several seconds of action, a moment many called a new low for football broadcasting.

Klopp’s attack

Jürgen Klopp, the former Liverpool and Dortmund manager now working with Red Bull, delivered the most scathing verdict on German television. He described the pauses as a "golden cage for sponsors" and accused distant executives of holding the sport hostage.

“Football is being held hostage by managers in air-conditioned offices. We build dams so that the advertising can get through.”

Klopp warned that football risks becoming background music rather than the main event. Even his own ambassadorial roles for brands did not blunt his message: "Football should not become an interruption between commercials."

Coaches and conditions

US national team coach Mauricio Pochettino joined the dissent, saying he only wants the breaks in extreme heat. During Australia’s 2-0 win over Turkey in Vancouver, the temperature was a comfortable 21 degrees Celsius inside the closed-roof BC Place. Yet the three-minute stoppages still took place, reinforcing the view that health is a pretext.

“I don't like it. I only like it in extreme conditions.”

The sport at a crossroads

For decades football resisted the commercial logic that fragments American sports. The arrival of forced ad breaks inside each half is seen by many as a dangerous precedent, altering the flow of the game and disappointing fans in the stadium, who are left with blaring music and entertainment clips while players wait.