What’s Behind Mandatory Hydration Breaks At The World Cup?

Argentina’s midfielder #11 Thiago Almada throws water on his face to chill off throughout a 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers soccer match between Uruguay and Argentina on the Centenario stadium in Montevideo. (Picture by Eitan ABRAMOVICH / AFP by way of Getty Pictures)

AFP by way of Getty Pictures

FIFA, the worldwide governing physique for the game of soccer, has mandated a three-minute hydration break halfway by every half of all 104 video games on the 2026 World Cup, creating de facto 4 quarters to a recreation that has all the time been simply two halves. Formally, that is meant to prioritize “participant welfare.” However there seems to be extra to it than that. Although boosting income by airing extra commercials isn’t a proper goal, by asserting in March of this yr that broadcasters can be allowed to promote promoting through the match’s obligatory breaks, FIFA facilitated a change with enormous monetary implications.

Ostensibly, the rule protects athletes from excessive warmth. Consultants agree that below such situations taking water breaks is nice for gamers’ well being. However the rule additionally applies in domed, climate-controlled stadiums and in out of doors venues when the climate isn’t sizzling. FIFA says this ensures a constant, standardized method throughout the whole match. However making the stoppages mandatory for all games no matter (climate) situations raises an unanswered query: To what extent is the change in guidelines additionally pushed by a large promoting income alternative that accrues from opening up devoted time slots tv networks to air commercials throughout video games?

Previous to this yr’s world soccer occasion, water breaks had been thought-about on a match-by-match foundation, starting on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The primary such unofficial stoppage for water occurred throughout a extremely popular and humid group stage match between the USA and Portugal in Manaus, Brazil. And the primary official “cooling break” occurred on the similar match, in Fortaleza, Brazil. This was throughout a spherical of 16 match between the Netherlands and Mexico. The temperature reached 39°C (102°F).

The breaks occurred on the match referee’s discretion and utilized provided that the so-called Moist-Bulb Globe Temperature — a measure that takes under consideration warmth, humidity, wind and cloud cowl—exceeded 32°C (89.6°F).

It’s noteworthy that whereas the American broadcaster Fox cuts to full-screen commercials throughout hydration breaks, U.S.-based Spanish-language tv community Telemundo has explicitly dedicated to not doing so. As an alternative of leaving the match feed, Telemundo broadcasts what’s taking place on the stay pitch, together with workforce huddles, and reveals replays and evaluation. So, for viewers within the U.S. preferring this format (and wish to brush up on their Spanish), they will tune in to Telemundo.

In Europe, whether or not viewers see promoting throughout hydration breaks will rely upon which nation you’re in. Some nationwide broadcasters prohibit such commercials. Others are introducing them for the primary time to an viewers unaccustomed to seeing spots at any level throughout a recreation aside from halftime.

Observers counsel that the hydration breaks additionally supply new tactical alternatives for coaches to debate technique with their gamers, much like timeouts in American soccer, basketball and ice hockey.

Different adjustments taking place at this yr’s World Cup embody sideline interviews of coaches at halftime all through the match and a halftime present on the closing match subsequent month, that includes amongst others, Shakira and Madonna.

European information shops communicate of Americanization of the game of soccer, which is ironic provided that it’s not even within the high 4 sports activities when it comes to TV viewership within the U.S.

My first style {of professional} soccer got here within the fall of 1980. Having simply arrived within the Netherlands, I wished to immerse myself in Dutch tradition. What higher manner than to observe soccer (“voetbal”) on tv. Again then only a few video games in full had been televised. However after they had been, I watched with my host household on their Aristona black and white TV.

What initially attracted me to the sport was the continuity. There weren’t any formal clock stoppages aside from the half- and full-time whistles. In reality, for the 2 45-minute halves, there have been virtually no stoppages of play for something. This included the minutes that referees would seemingly arbitrarily add to every half.

There have been no commercials or timeouts. And when somebody went down with an harm, play often continued except it seemed severe. And even then, referees appeared to treat accidents as nuisances that stopped the stream of the sport. Virtually as quickly as coaching employees attended an apparently injured participant, the referee would movement them to maneuver outdoors the touchline so the sport may resume.

As an individual with an aversion to commercials of any form, I thought-about this refreshing. I nonetheless do. Moreover the simplicity of what’s known as the gorgeous recreation, there’s one thing particular about watching a match uninterrupted by spots.

However now that is altering, at the very least on the World Cup, purportedly for participant security. However I consider the adage observe the cash applies right here, too, because it does in most areas of life in 2026.