Innovation at the World Cup
Making money through the back door?
Updated June 11, 2026 – 10:37 p.mReading time: 3 minutes
At the World Cup there will be drinking breaks during all games. Is it a sensible measure at high temperatures or is there more to it?
The upcoming World Cup will be bigger, longer and generally a little different. The world association Fifa has set compulsory drinking breaks for all World Cup games. These take place in the 23rd and 68th minutes and take place regardless of the climatic conditions in the stadium. Previously, the rule was that drinking breaks should only be taken every 30 minutes in a half if the temperature on site was at least 31 degrees Celsius at the time of kick-off.
“There will be a three-minute break for hydration in every game, regardless of where the game is taking place, whether the stadium has a roof or what the temperature is,” said Manolo Zubriria, the World Cup organizing chief in the USA. The climatic conditions in the host countries could play an important role in the tournament. In venues like Arlington, Texas, average high temperatures reach 34.7 degrees Celsius in July. Experts believe that the temperatures shouldn’t cause any health problems for the players, but could slow down the games significantly.
Advertising during drinking breaks?
However, the fact that FIFA prescribes drinking breaks regardless of the temperature certainly has other reasons than mere concern for the players’ performance. With the obligatory breaks, which are also three minutes long, the football game is divided into quarters: a break after 22 minutes, a half-time break at the 45th minute, then another break after 22 minutes.
The world association has already signaled to the television partners for the World Cup that they can go into a commercial break during the three-minute drinking breaks. In a sense, it’s the model of many US sports, where there are fairly regular breaks. This phenomenon is most prevalent in the NFL due to the start-stop mechanics of a game. But the so-called power breaks are now also standard in ice hockey – whether in the NHL or DEL. There will be a 90-second break two to three times per third, giving television stations the opportunity to show a few commercials.
Fox Sports, the television partner for the World Cup broadcasts in the United States, recently announced that it would be in discussions with FIFA about how the breaks would be arranged accordingly. Zac Kenworthy, one of Fox Sports’ production executives, said they need to find the right balance. The balance between the commercial possibilities during a game and the norms of football.