Infantino Signals Hydration Breaks Could Stay as TV Ads Fuel Backlash

Overview

• Gianni Infantino on Friday defended the three-minute mid-half hydration breaks and said they could become a permanent World Cup feature while promising a post-tournament review.
• Journalists and industry analyses estimate U.S. broadcaster Fox can earn roughly $250 million to $600 million from the extra ad slots created by the six minutes of breaks per match.
• Critics including managers and sports scientists say the scheduled pauses disrupt match flow, offer tactical timeouts for coaches, and often provide little measurable cooling benefit in air-conditioned stadiums.
• Operational problems have sharpened the debate, with reports of a broadcast overrun, a hydration break called after a long injury delay, and coaches using the pause for video instruction.
• The policy could reshape how the World Cup is produced and sold by creating new, high-value ad inventory for rights holders and prompting calls for temperature-triggered breaks instead of blanket pauses.