An $8 Million Sip: FIFA’s Use Of Hydration Breaks In The World Cup

Co-authored by Gowling WLG summer law student Jordan Sweeney.
 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, introduced mandatory three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half of all 104 matches, regardless of temperature or venue conditions. While FIFA has framed the policy as a player-welfare measure designed to combat extreme heat in the North American summer conditions, the breaks have simultaneously created an estimated $250 million in new advertising revenue for the U.S. broadcaster Fox Sports, including eight million dollars for thirty seconds of ad space during the final game.¹ The hydration breaks have drawn backlash from fans, players, and coaches as they feel the breaks have altered the rhythm of the sport. The implementation of hydration breaks illustrates a broader tension, namely, whether one of the last remaining uninterrupted sports can survive the commercial pressures of an expanding tournament format.