Infantino Denies: Water Breaks Not a Financial Boon for FIFA

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the introduction of hydration breaks at the World Cup, insisting that for football's governing body, these decisions are driven purely by sporting considerations, not commercial interests. The mandatory three-minute breaks, implemented in the 22nd and 67th minutes of every tournament match, have drawn criticism from players, coaches, and fans since the opening round of games.

The breaks, introduced to help players cope with high temperatures in North America, have also created additional advertising windows for broadcasters. This has fueled debate about their impact on the game, with some viewers complaining about being subjected to commercials during the three-minute stoppages. "There is no additional revenue for FIFA, as all commercial agreements were signed well in advance. So, this is not a financial issue for us. For us, it is purely a sporting matter," Infantino stated in a Wednesday announcement.

The breaks allow coaching staff to deliver tactical instructions during play, a change critics argue disrupts the match's momentum and fundamentally alters the game's character. England manager Thomas Tuchel stated that the extra break "interrupts and changes the identity of a football match," while Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said that dividing matches into shorter segments detracts from a fundamental characteristic of the game. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk supported the intention behind the rule in extreme heat but questioned its necessity in cooler conditions and covered venues.

"The main reason is the heat, but we also need to understand that in a competition like the World Cup, which is played over 39 days, with teams potentially playing eight matches in those 39 days, the timing of a break is extremely important," Infantino said. "Even more important for us is to ensure that all teams, in every match, play under the same conditions. It is very difficult to accept that a coach might have the opportunity to influence the match by making adjustments simply because it's hotter, while in another match, where the temperature is slightly lower, the same coach doesn't have that same opportunity," he argued. Infantino added that the breaks have not reduced the intensity of the matches, suggesting that players have been able to maintain a high level of performance.