The decision to include water breaks at the 2026 World Cup sparked widespread controversy about its true objectives, before Gianni Infantino came out to respond to accusations related to huge advertising revenues.
Amid these criticisms, FIFA President Gianni Infantino came out to defend the decision, stressing that FIFA does not receive any additional financial revenue from the three-minute breaks in each half.
Infantino explained that all the commercial contracts and agreements for the tournament were signed long before it began, stressing that the water breaks were not included with the aim of increasing revenues, but rather came for sporting and health reasons aimed at protecting the players and maintaining their physical readiness during the 39-day tournament.
For the first time at a FIFA World Cup™, hydration breaks have been introduced in all matches. The breaks take place in the 22nd and 67th minutes and last three minutes, which are added to the stoppage time at the end of each half.
The FIFA president pointed out that these short breaks help players to recover their energy and continue playing intensely until the final minutes, considering that the high physical level witnessed in the matches is partly due to these organized breaks.
Infantino's comments came after media reports suggested that US broadcasters could earn up to $250 million from new advertising space provided by the breaks, while other estimates suggested that global revenues could be much greater when taking into account the various markets broadcasting the tournament.
Despite FIFA's denial of directly benefiting from these revenues, the debate continues between those who see the decision as a necessary step to protect players in light of the congested match schedule and high temperatures, and those who consider it a new model for expanding advertising space within modern football.
Water breaks are one of the most notable changes in the current edition of the World Cup, along with the participation of 48 teams for the first time in the tournament's history, which has made the 2026 World Cup one of the most controversial editions both on and off the field.
