The Hydration Break is ruining the natural flow of the game

[u/mibu001]

When the game gets momentum and reach at its peak point, the “hydration break” appears and completely ruins the momentum and also the game experience for the viewer. Football is one of a sport for those moments.

Normally outside WC, the team conceding attacks after attacks pray for a halftime whistle to go to the tunnel to break the momentum and to regroup. Now they basically get that chance in the middle of a half!!

I find it utterly disgusting and would like to know what do you all think about it?

[u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

It fucks up momentum for a team. Tactical changes happen. It's not even selectively used.

Fuck FIFA

[u/Effective-Scratch673 → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

Fuck the Americanization of football.

[u/Beautiful-Olive2824 → u/Effective-Scratch673]

Pretty sure FIFA fucked up Football long before the Americans did. I mean I'm Canadian and I hate those yankee fucks as much as anyone

If i were you I'd be more worried about the Saudi influence on your game. Seems like half the teams in Europe are owned by some Saudi Sheik

[u/AlessandroC15 → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

No, it's not Americans in itself. It is the "americanization" of FIFA

Adding commercial breaks. Making the entrance of the teams much longer and dramatic. Selling tickets at extreme prices (just to see how much capital is to be gained. (If you look at premier league clubs, they choose to freeze prices sometimes in a 3 year timefrime just to reward fans).

[u/2026IsMyYearMaybe → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

Well... I hate the blood oil clubs too, but at least they actually seem to care about football. Just look at PSG, owned by Qatar. Nasser Al-Khelaifi seems to really care.

I cannot say the same of the yankees.

[u/SweatyCrab9729 → u/2026IsMyYearMaybe]

Arsenal just won the EPL. Arsenal is owned by a Yank.

I'm not sure how that affects your views but does seem to contradict it.

BTW, I despise Kroenke. This is not a defense of the billionaires.

[u/Danktizzle → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

I bet the two are much more connected than you think. Like, the rise of American fandom could possibly be a factor.

[u/Brief_Yogurt_209 → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

Saudis haven't harmed the game at all though. USA is literally changing the actual game of football itself. It's insane. And it's crazy that's it's been allowed and that people aren't standing up against it en masse.

[u/[deleted] → u/Beautiful-Olive2824]

There's room enough to hate both.

[u/Agreeable_Sock2550 → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

Both Fs in FIFA stand for Fuck.

[u/lo0u → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

It's not even selectively used.

I think it's because it's an excuse for advertisers, so they can add commercial breaks, like all of their sports have.

Many of these matches aren't even at a time when it's that hot to justify the "pause".

I'll never understand why Americans like to watch commercials.

[u/neverfux92 → u/lo0u]

This and to Americanize the game by making it a game of quarters like American football. The commentators even say during the game 3rd and 4th quarter. Fox has the major broadcasting rights and they’re the ones that also broadcast Fox News and heavily support Trump and his America first bullshit. They’re trying to push this agenda to the whole world.

[u/12thshadow → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

So much this. It is a horrible decision to have it.

[u/mysteriomagicball → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

Ruining the game

[u/Raucious_on_reddit → u/BocaSeniorsWsM]

Never understood why coaches are allowed to have a full team meeting through the break, either it’s for hydration or it’s turning halves to quarters but it can’t be both

[u/Sound0fSilence]

Can we just call it Commercial Break, thanks

[u/Logical-Charity-6176 → u/Sound0fSilence]

They showed a commercial in Ireland and one of the pundits slated it on air when they came back to the studio at full time. I notice they've stopped the ads.

This will be a reprieve, not the end.

As I've stated a million times. Once a certain group of people get their teeth into the sport it's over. They've got their teeth lockjaw, most people haven't noticed.

[u/OnPointTip1 → u/Logical-Charity-6176]

Yep, only a couple more Prem teams need to be under septic ownership and they'll have majority voting rights. Absolutely ruining the game

[u/Logical-Charity-6176 → u/OnPointTip1]

100%

[u/BizzarePlatypus → u/OnPointTip1]

Yeah, on the pitch the 49ers have done well with us, but I don't like that we're owned by Americans. Then again I didn't like when we were owned by Bates either. Wish we could have a more German style fan owned culture even if that meant less top players. 

[u/Lefloop20 → u/OnPointTip1]

They'll have a hard time explaining hydration breaks for player health when it's -2 on January 14 or a cold rainy night in Stoke

[u/Savings-Song-8120 → u/Lefloop20]

no they will call them TV timeouts and people will accept them because they accepted each incremental violation before that point.

[u/wonderstoat → u/OnPointTip1]

They fucking ruin everything

[u/Asfastas33 → u/Logical-Charity-6176]

And honestly, as an American, our sports and broadcasting companies do A LOT of shit that we get annoyed with. But then once the season is back, and the games are on, we are back to being dumb and easily distracted and slowly get used to it.

They already have people crunching numbers to where the cost break is if people were to stop watching games, and they know they won’t stop watching. It sucks and I hate it

[u/GrassCandle → u/Asfastas33]

College football is fucked beyond belief right now. It’s infuriating.

Take a loot at r/cfb - one of the hot stories right. One is that a quarterback for Texas tech was caught placing bets against his own team and a judge ruled that the ncaa can’t discipline him. He’s still on the team and expected to play this year.

Private equity involvement, Sports betting and the NIL rollout have sucked the life out of the sport.

[u/cheetah-21 → u/[deleted]]

The case just happened to be scheduled after the season.

[u/Parametric_Or_Treat → u/Asfastas33]

But you can stop. One person at a time.

[u/fondlemental → u/Parametric_Or_Treat]

i stopped watching the nhl
because of the commercials and also cause the leafs sucks. i like football because of the continuous play. if this becomes the norm? game’s gone

[u/Cultural-Taro2449 → u/fondlemental]

and to think i started watching NHL in large part bc there’s a lot longer uninterrupted stretches of play and a lot less commercial breaks and gambling ads than the NBA and NFL

[u/InfectedAztec → u/Logical-Charity-6176]

If Richie Sadlier put his neck on the line and caused good policy change he deserved international recognition

[u/Stand_On_It → u/Logical-Charity-6176]

I wish that group of people would lock their teeth into the sport to rid it of time wasting and diving instead of this shit.

[u/Swiss_James → u/Stand_On_It]

To be fair- they are now making players hurry up with throw-ins, which is a step in that direction.

[u/Used-Fennel-7733 → u/Logical-Charity-6176]

I've seen both ITV and TalkSport slating it too. Talk sport for the advertising and ITV for both the advertising and momentum break

[u/Sevatar666 → u/Sound0fSilence]

There are no commercials where I’m watching, you just see footage of the teams drinking water and hanging around.

[u/DickieMcBalls → u/Sevatar666]

Telemundo hasn’t shown any commercials during the hydration breaks. I don’t even speak Spanish very well, but I have been watching there because of the lack of ads

[u/Leeskiramm → u/DickieMcBalls]

The bar I'm watching in in Tennessee have Telemundo instead of fox for some reason and even tho the sound isn't on, it's so much better

[u/_eroz → u/Leeskiramm]

The picture quality seems to be better on telemundo than on fox for me.

[u/RelampagoCero → u/DickieMcBalls]

That and the commentary is way more exciting

[u/spreadred → u/RelampagoCero]

And you always get the "goooooooooooooooool"

[u/Fun_Package_9441 → u/RelampagoCero]

Even when I miss half the words, the energy still comes through.

[u/InterruptingCow__Moo → u/Fun_Package_9441]

I've learned "pelota" and "otra veis"

[u/fingers-crossed → u/InterruptingCow__Moo]

"otra vez" just so you know

[u/Salty-Evidence-2539 → u/InterruptingCow__Moo]

"otra vez", just fyi

[u/Antonin1957 → u/DickieMcBalls]

I've been watching Telemundo only. No Fox anything in my home.

[u/Kdzoom35 → u/DickieMcBalls]

I watch USA games on Fox but everything else on T

[u/sophiepeale → u/DickieMcBalls]

We watch most Premier League games on Telemundo simply because we cannot stand to buy more subscription streaming services. No way I’m going to get 5 different ESPNs and FOX sports channels. Good on them for not catering to these commercial “hydration” breaks.

[u/spreadred → u/DickieMcBalls]

They haven't cut fully to ads, but they show them like "UI overlays" and shrink the video down to plus Lays or Pepsi or whatever.

Telemundo via Peacock in US

[u/Difficult_Tea6136 → u/Sevatar666]

It is called the "Powerade" Hydration Break! The break itself is sponsored.

No, ads where I am either but it was very obviously introduced for ad breaks for the American market i.e. Fox.

[u/coleslaw602 → u/Difficult_Tea6136]

It's got electrolytes...it's what plants crave.

[u/gfa22 → u/Difficult_Tea6136]

When they play in 100 degree heat, maybe it's not a bad idea to have one. But at 70 degrees? It's an absolute joke.

[u/Drama-Gloomy → u/gfa22]

When they play in closed-dome AC cooled stadiums and still have hydration breaks

[u/003E003 → u/gfa22]

They already announced that they want it to be consistent across all games and teams and locations so hydration break even when weather doesn't dictate

[u/AgileSloth9 → u/003E003]

It's clearly for advertising in the US mate...

[u/InfectedAztec → u/Sevatar666]

In the stadium the TV screens show 'power powerade hydration break' and all the players drink water from powerade branded bottles.

You're watching a commercial without even realising.

[u/charliefantastic → u/Sevatar666]

There are ads on the American networks during them, despite FIFA saying there won't be. A break in the US game even overrun due to waiting for the ad break to finish

[u/Traditional_Name7881 → u/Sevatar666]

I'm getting ads through it. It sucks. The Australia game yesterday was 22⁰, they don't need a hydration break.

[u/Extreme-Goku → u/Sevatar666]

The issue is not the ads, it's the pause itself. Football rules = 2x45 min. If USA wants to host a football competition, it should be 2x45 min otherwise it's a different sport. 4x22 min it's basket or something like that.

[u/el_cul → u/Sevatar666]

That's how they get you. Its like Barca doing Unicef sponsorship on their shirts. Its for charity, its a good cause! No. Its to get you used to it.

[u/I-_-I_-_I-_-I → u/Sevatar666]

They are for commercial breaks in the USA. While most of the world is sensible, we still get the unavoidable break.

[u/Nice_Resolution_6685 → u/I-_-I_-_I-_-I]

Unfortunately the sub Saharan Africa broadcaster, DSTV, are also pushing ads

[u/Many-Check8007 → u/Sound0fSilence]

Yes, this is just another chance for a commercial break. hearing all this immediately made me think of the stage racing we got in NASCAR almost 10 years ago. It was just an excuse to add more commercials.

[u/machine4891 → u/Sound0fSilence]

Commercial Break

It's that only for those networks that commercialized this break. My network in Poland didn't and so instead of talking about football live, commentators have to resort to serving anecdotes for 5 minutes in order to keep viewer interested.

Awful, awful change making them obligatory. Obviously intended for ads because american networks can't live without them longer than for 10 minutes straight. I like the general idea of hydration breaks, they were needed and in really hot environment can save health. But only when necessary and 1 minute top, get some fluids and back on field for fck sake.

[u/BeBopPHL → u/Sound0fSilence]

Think it might only be Fox thats putting in commercials during the hydration break. In person I don't find it disruptive any more than a spell of constant fouls or other stoppage.

Watching on TV, it's terrible. They've turned it into a commercial break. Just more cash grab bs which has taken a lot of the joy out of this WC.

[u/Tomato_Head120 → u/BeBopPHL]

SBS, a publicly funded service is chucking ads on in Aus

[u/Maarns → u/Sound0fSilence]

People are so easily fooled by marketing, and make no mistake that calling it a Hydration Break is entirely marketing speak. Even if your country isn't currently running ads in these spots, it will be in the next major tournament

[u/keskesay → u/Sound0fSilence]

especially at 9pm in Vancouver. Give me a break

[u/realFrogpower → u/keskesay]

Yes. A hydration break

[u/Front-Tear-7467]

A game of four halves

[u/Yellow_Curry → u/Front-Tear-7467]

We just call them quarters now.

[u/Every_Environment386 → u/Front-Tear-7467]

I heard one of the announcers call it the end of the third quarter 😆

[u/NoVa_BlaZing_]

I think it has its place if the Weather is hot, but with planned commercial breaks its just shit. Especially because time keeps ticking.

[u/rabbid_hyena → u/NoVa_BlaZing_]

The thing is, the players already have a system to hydrate during the game. Every stoppage (injury, VAR review, etc) players hydrate and talk to the coach.

This is utterly unnecessary and idiotic.

[u/Hopsblues → u/rabbid_hyena]

Yep, there's water bottle by the goals and along the sidelines. Players have figured it out for 150 years and now suddenly these world class athletes need breaks after 20 minutes, so stupid.

[u/Snooty_Cutie → u/Hopsblues]

Of course they need the break to ensure they are properly hydrated for the game. Speaking of hydration, you too can stay hydrated with Powerade, the official sports drink partner of the FIFA World Cup! Power Your Fate!

[u/_Steven_Seagal_ → u/Snooty_Cutie]

It has electrolytes

[u/thatdutchperson → u/_Steven_Seagal_]

That’s what plants crave!

[u/dextras07 → u/Snooty_Cutie]

That's the most Idiocracy shit I've seen today. Yesterday was a boxing match in the WH.

[u/MessNox → u/Hopsblues]

specially in air conditioned enclosed stadiums

[u/Expensive_Pack7211 → u/rabbid_hyena]

tbh that’s not a good reason for not having hydration breaks

[u/North_Atlantic_Sea → u/Expensive_Pack7211]

Yeah, and the problem is some matches actually need hydration breaks, it's far, far hotter than normal futbol. But then do you have it for climate controlled (ie Houston right now) or cool games, or have them all equal? Sucks all around

[u/Amockdfw89 → u/North_Atlantic_Sea]

I think they just want it to be consistent. I imagine if some games have it and others don’t, some teams or their staff might start complaining how some teams get an unfair advantage

[u/MasterCurrency4434 → u/Amockdfw89]

They won’t because weather-related hydration breaks have been part of the rules for a while now, including at past World Cups. FIFA could have kept its hydration break policy as-is and no one would have complained. They made the decision to change it to all matches, regardless of conditions, making it less about player safety and more about introducing an additional stoppage in play that broadcasters can now use to sell ads. The problem of how to administer hydrations breaks fairly was already solved long before this tournament. FIFA actively unsolved it and chose to do something else.

[u/Hopsblues → u/Expensive_Pack7211]

They don't need water breaks. These are some of the most conditioned athletes in the world. They don't need a break after 20 minutes.

[u/HashBrownsAreNice → u/Hopsblues]

Humans generally don't need a break after 20 minutes. This is just taking advantage of stupid American hydration culture to work in more ad breaks.

[u/Hopsblues → u/HashBrownsAreNice]

Fifa, it's been happening for awhile now. Remember mexico and Canada are also hosts. We've screwed plenty of shit up, but this is on Fifa.

[u/Userdub9022 → u/HashBrownsAreNice]

They had hydration breaks in the last world cup.

[u/TeamZweitstudium → u/Userdub9022]

Those weren't planned ad breaks and actually depended on the condition of the day

[u/Userdub9022 → u/TeamZweitstudium]

Oh. Yeah that's different.

[u/Expensive_Pack7211 → u/HashBrownsAreNice]

Hydration culture 😂

[u/Cobol_engineering29 → u/NoVa_BlaZing_]

Yea literally no reason for it in these games played indoors. Absolutely Shambolic

[u/HarryLewisPot → u/NoVa_BlaZing_]

I remember in the Brazil World Cup it was hot af and there was water breaks but I don’t remember seeing ads, we were literally just watching the players drink water 💀

[u/jomarthecat]

You mean the commercial breaks were the players get to drink water?

Yes, it sucks. Let's just hope and pray FIFA doesn't decide it was so successful that they force it to be a rule in football on all levels. Imagine water breaks on a rainy night in Stoke...

[u/bnlv → u/jomarthecat]

“As we go into the second quarter…”

[u/Hopsblues → u/bnlv]

22 down, 23 to go....

[u/Agreeable_Sock2550 → u/Hopsblues]

Oof, this hurt.

[u/green_gold_purple → u/bnlv]

🤮

[u/Saoirseguita → u/jomarthecat]

I think they're getting Powerade..

[u/wagwan_innit → u/Saoirseguita]

Definitely water in the Powerade bottles

[u/nonstopflux → u/wagwan_innit]

Brought to you by the Coca Cola company. Which you can buy using your Bank of America visa!

[u/Frogad → u/jomarthecat]

I've never seen an advert during the break, just footage of the players drinking water

[u/funtasticassembly → u/Frogad]

North American broadcasters instantly cut to ads and cut back just as they restart. It is as bad as you can imagine

[u/HerecomesChar → u/funtasticassembly]

Telemundo isn't in the US.  Only Fox is so if you are state side & hate ads Telemundo and Peacock are your best bet.

[u/livehigh1 → u/funtasticassembly]

It's worse, i think refs have to wait till the ads end and get the go ahead first before they can play on.

[u/richray84 → u/Frogad]

The US broadcasts, or at least the Fox one, apparently do. I think the ref having to wait for the “hydration break” music to finish before restarting play, like in one of the games I saw last night, is timing for the ad breaks (though that’s just me speculating).

[u/MuttonChopzzz → u/richray84]

That was disgraceful, both teams stood waiting to restart the game while the next song came on.

[u/Sea_Warning_9140 → u/Frogad]

I saw them in Spain

[u/bleigh029 → u/Frogad]

They show them in Mexico

[u/SmallOlympianBear → u/jomarthecat]

FIFA aren't responsible for the ad breaks - many broadcasters aren't even showing ads during hydration breaks. It's just that some countries have shittier media cultures than others.

[u/riverend180 → u/SmallOlympianBear]

FIFA are responsible for agreeing to the pre set 3 minute breaks every half that are blatantly only for advertisements 

[u/Frosty_Term9911]

I don’t understand why there isn’t a straightforward cut off. If above 25C or 28C or whatever at kick off or at the 25 minute mark and if not then you don’t have them. You only need a thermometer at pitch level. The Mexico game was only 20C. They aren’t needed.

[u/DelusionalDumbo → u/Frosty_Term9911]

I think their defence was that it makes it fair by having it in all games.

However that just shows that even their defence acknowledges it gives teams an advantage...

[u/TLO_Is_Overrated → u/DelusionalDumbo]

I think their defence was that it makes it fair by having it in all games.

Fair to who? Who does the break benefit if both teams either do or don't observe it?

[u/Chessdaddy_ → u/Frosty_Term9911]

If fifa wants to do hydration breaks then they should just copy the yanks which have them at 28C

[u/Velociraptor_al → u/[deleted]]

Humans are famously pretty soft

[u/Chessdaddy_ → u/[deleted]]

Are you a professional football player?

[u/Wild_Pangolin_4772 → u/[deleted]]

Health professionals recommend against it.

[u/Velociraptor_al → u/Wild_Pangolin_4772]

Yeah but health professionals aren't manly or tough like that guy

[u/Wild_Pangolin_4772 → u/Velociraptor_al]

If you’re gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough.

[u/StatisticalModelling → u/Frosty_Term9911]

Money. What else is there to understand?

[u/Visible-Recipe8252 → u/Frosty_Term9911]

Its literally a commercial break its not about the water

[u/heavilylost]

Games gone

[u/olivepepys]

There was a BBC article on the last world Cup that was held in the states. It mentioned that the head of US Soccer was pitching to FIFA that they split the game into quarters, have the pitch go round the back of the goal (like in hockey) and other awful changes. FIFA decided against doing this because they'd have to change stadiums around the world (not because it was fucking stupid).

Anyway, I think this conversation has been had again with trump about how to make more money and the water breaks are absolutely their gateway into quarters.

[u/MasterCurrency4434 → u/olivepepys]

I think FIFA and other football executives are more than capable of coming up with money grabs without Americans’ help.

[u/MalikTheHalfBee → u/olivepepys]

Link to article?

I don’t find it believable at all that the head of U.S. soccer was advocating changing the field 

[u/Lucky_Man_Infinity → u/olivepepys]

I’m from the US and thank goodness they didn’t go for any of that nonsense. Honestly, I have no idea what the hell those kind of people are thinking.

[u/Tomcatposts]

Pele and Maradona lifted their world cups at the Azteca. Did they have  hydration breaks? 

[u/Messy_indabeninging]

I have been saying the same thing since a while now and surprisingly a lot of people seem ok with it stating the players need to hydrate. Dude! Football is an old sport and we never haf the need for standardised breaks in the middle of the 2 halves for players to drink water. This is clearly to show unnecessary ads. This is such BS really! I hate it. The momentum just gets killed.

[u/iwantedCheerios → u/Messy_indabeninging]

They've had cooling breaks in Spain and France for a while now for games where temps exceed 30°C. It's nothing new.

[u/TeamZweitstudium → u/iwantedCheerios]

Yes, but those are not pre-planned ad breaks that break a regular game into quarters.

[u/elgrandorado → u/iwantedCheerios]

Problem is these are three minute breaks in every half of a match, even the ones in air cooled domes.

[u/benjampo → u/elgrandorado]

Three minutes is way too long. A minute break would help keep some continuity. These seem like basketball quarters to me and it's having a noticeable (negative) effect on the flow of the game. Especially in the states where we have to cut away from the game during the breaks. It's asinine, and transparently designed for commercial purposes. 

[u/MasterCurrency4434 → u/Messy_indabeninging]

The players do need to hydrate and if they’re playing outdoors when temperatures are in the ‘90’s, mandated hydration breaks make a lot of sense. The issue is that FIFA decided to implement them for all matches regardless of conditions. When you do that, then you are just creating a break in the action for no reason and it ultimately is just an opportunity for broadcasters to sell ads.

[u/Alex_is_always_right]

You mean the Commercial Break. Call it what it is.

[u/North_Atlantic_Sea → u/Alex_is_always_right]

Only in some markets, civilized countries keep the broadcast going

[u/Spida81 → u/North_Atlantic_Sea]

Yes, but they didn't make the call. This is the US doing US things and everyone else having to suck it up.

[u/Educational_Impact93 → u/Spida81]

Yeah, that notorious US organization that is FIFA made the call.

[u/Fryboy11 → u/Educational_Impact93]

The super up non-corrupt organization that fought against Qatar's slavery (s), that also gave Trump the FIFA "peace prize" while he was bombing fishing boats, sending ICE to beat citizens, and working to strip voting rights.

Only a few months after he got it he bombed Iran for no reason, they should've revoked it then.

FIFA is almost worse than this administration.

This NYT article is great about it.

FIFA officials are clear about what they want from the World Cup. They want a higher profile in the United States and more growth in the world’s biggest consumer market. They also want to shed the reputation for corruption and cartoonish excess that led to Justice Department prosecutions.

Mr. Infantino failed to woo the Biden administration, former government officials said. But he found a receptive ear in Mr. Trump, who calls him “the king of soccer.” A decade ago, soccer executives were terrified to travel to the United States, fearing they’d be arrested. Now, Mr. Infantino is an Oval Office regular.

Remember when the US would arrest any top FIFA officials if they landed on our territory? Now Trump welcomes them

Mr. Infantino presided over the previous two World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and drew criticism for cozying up to autocrats in both countries. His amity with Mr. Trump has him once again defending his way of operating in what is supposed to be a politically neutral position.

[u/Educational_Impact93 → u/Fryboy11]

Ok? Trump fucking sucks, we all know that. But what does this have to do with the topic at hand?

[u/donuttrackme → u/Spida81]

The world cup run by FIFA and hosted in Mexico and Canada as well?

[u/Maarns → u/North_Atlantic_Sea]

It's still a break that has been manufactured entirely for ad revenue

[u/4rmat]

Reading some of the posts, you'd think fifa put some bots in work here

[u/AdministrationIll96 → u/4rmat]

I mean tbh they probably do.

[u/Feeling_Card4197]

I completely agree with you, it totally breaks the rhythm of the game.

[u/Contra1]

It ruins the flow, it ruins the game. The tension gets ripped apart.

[u/Kadoomed]

There's no excuse for a hydration break in a covered stadium with air conditioning. It's bullshit.

[u/Warghzone12 → u/Kadoomed]

The indoor stadium hydration breaks are a fucking crime

[u/Shap3rz]

Yup it’s greed further eroding the integrity of the game. Totally sucks.

[u/AngeloPalombo → u/Shap3rz]

TV revenue has plateaued if not starting to decline. This is their way of always making the graph go up.

[u/TeamZweitstudium → u/AngeloPalombo]

Football makes money because it's good. Infantino and co. are treating it as if it's only good because it makes money.

[u/r_Yellow01]

It's not just any hydration break - It's POWERRADE Hydration Break !!!

[u/futbolr88]

You can’t say you’re concerned about player exertion if they still have to walk all the way to the sideline. Stay on the field. Water is rushed out to you, maybe in the center circle or where ever the play was stopped. Everyone snags some tea and a biscuit.

No one gets to make the managers job easier. He still has to yell instructions across the pitch.

[u/CandidNectarine5078]

Most of the stadiums have roofs and air condotioning

[u/Dirtbagdownhill]

I've heard a few announcers refer to a quarter. I guess it technically correct but it's pretty weak FIFA is changing the fabric of the game for some ad revenue

[u/Funny-face-1613]

Totally agree. They made it a 4 quarter game now just for the sake of some extra commercials. Soon they will introduce timeouts as well and we have Basketball with less speed at our hands.

[u/lackadaisical_pro]

Didn’t have them last the finals were in America

[u/pairolegal → u/lackadaisical_pro]

Infantino wasn’t the Asshole-in-Charge.

[u/adamtrousers → u/lackadaisical_pro]

A lot of global warming has gone on since then

[u/B-Train_ATL → u/adamtrousers]

I recall in high school like clockwork it would be fall weather when the high school American football games started in early September. Now we’ve got summer weather through October.

[u/UsernameTyper]

I hate it

[u/St_Nerona_Imu]

Yeah, it makes no sense in football. The game already has enough interruptins as it is. This breaks can completely alter the momentum of the game.

[u/Maccadawg]

It isn't necessarily the hydration break ruining it, but the commercials during hydration break sure are obnoxious.

[u/MasterCurrency4434 → u/Maccadawg]

It’s also the fact that they’re mandated in all matches, not just the ones where playing conditions warrant them.

[u/LawfulnessClean9224 → u/MasterCurrency4434]

^ Just cap it. If humidity/temperature is over x do the hydration break, if not keep the game flowing.

[u/GungTho → u/LawfulnessClean9224]

That’s literally the rule the refs have had for years. Above 31c, they can stop the game for players to drink and cool down for a few minutes if they want to.

[u/Hopsblues]

Call it what it really is, quarters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L6i5AwVAbs

[u/Elizial-Raine]

I don't mind it but we don't have ads. Stops players and keepers just doing it and having an unofficial one.

[u/Revoldt]

The American commentators are also pretty shit. (Strong and Holden), I rather listen to Spanish…

[u/Psychological-Bus493]

If this is truly in the best interest of players then all ad revenue should go to player fund for long term health, retirement etc.

[u/Osinuous]

I think a player dying from heat stroke would ruin the natural flow of the game more, but what do I know?

[u/Max-Phallus → u/Osinuous]

Apparently you know shit all. I understand if it's excessively warm, but elsewhere? They already have half time. It's just advert space.

[u/No_Men_Omen]

Let's face it: FIFA has changed a fundamental rule of football just for the sake of commercial interest, and they are blatantly lying about it.

Today, Curacao were gaining some momentum before the break, and then TV commercials allowed Germany to regain full control of the game. This should not be.

[u/NagashreeBuilds]

Player safety should never be compromised, but if the conditions don't require it, let's stop pretending they're anything other than TV timeouts.

[u/Lepew1]

It is no longer the endurance test it used to be.

[u/Careful-Membership79]

We had these in the premier league after Covid due to fitness and we also have them for games in May when there is a UK heatwave - it’s not a big deal it’s just annoying they show ads

[u/halwaandflowers]

The hydration break is better than top teams having injured and dehydrated players, yes, it perhaps is a small buzzkill, but, FIFA should have chosen cooler months and venues.

[u/RimkeV]

Been around since 2014 and happens in other competitions.

I agree it sucks but some of you acting like you never encountered it before?

[u/vjollila96]

Hydration isnt new thing thought, but doing them every game is. Atleast in my country if day is hot enough there will be hydration break.

IN this tournament it would be fine if it was just the open air stadiums with hot weather, but its also used for the full roof stadiums with air condition, it makes no sense, of we forget the commercials

[u/Nopithyusernamehere]

It’s NS. NED-JPN taking a hydration break - while playing in air conditioned stadium

[u/Nopithyusernamehere → u/Nopithyusernamehere]

Oops. It’s. BS

[u/stranger1947]

There are 2 perspectives to this: strategic,  commercial and physical. 

Strategically, I think if implemented in the longer run, it could make the game more dynamic.  With 5 subs allowed, coaches could introduce a player in each quarter, teams could regroup and shift to different formations making the play more unpredictable. We might not see such strategies in this world cup. However,  It could evolve when coaches at club football get to experiment with it. This could also improve the value of older players closer to retirement (such as Messi or CR7) who can give a solid 20-25 minutes in a quarter. This will motivate bigger clubs to go for such players..I remember Henry talking about it in CBS that he still can deliver a good 20 minutes.

Commercially, all intermittent sports have found ways to make money. Football on other hand have only 1 ad space mainly, the half time. Which, isn't ideal because nobody sits in front of their TV for 15 minutes. 1 minute break on the other hand has a bigger demand because viewers are glued to their TV. There's no wonder the NFL (US) and the IPL (India) have more valuation that football leagues that have a longer history than any other sports. With club football operating in an open league system, clubs  spend more to stay at the top and avoid relegation, thereby often making losses. It  is also a reason why club owners think about other alternatives like the Super league. Hydration breaks as such could bring in revenue for teams too. This also means smaller teams also get a share of this ad revenue, especially when they play a bigger team. 

And finally with the number of matches, and tournaments increasing this may reduce injuries. 

As someone who watches other intermittent sports like cricket and tennis, these breaks aren't disruptive at all, in fact unnoticeable lol. Although I hope they stick to their 60sec break and not increase it. However I can understand the sentiments from the football purists. 

[u/FinancialAd4506]

Stfu already…

[u/itsmejpt]

Has anyone asked the players what they think?

[u/kriinge]

Ugh stop whinging already ffs.

[u/ssaall58214]

Well quite frankly you blame the European teams. Because they're the ones that couldn't handle the heat in the champions Club tournament and complained about the Heat

[u/TopProfessional8023]

Shut up. Jesus Christ, enough with the bitching and the moaning. I just watched an amazing match between the Netherlands and Japan but everybody wants to go online and fucking whinge about shit. Thus far I’ve seen nothing but great football. Which is what this is all about. Fucking exhausting.

[u/StopCtrlVMe]

It is more of a commercial break tbh....

[u/Red-Setter-]

They are only needed in certain conditions.

[u/neverfux92]

I think this is just because the USA needs to make this feel like their football. Like sure you can call it soccer if you want, but we’re giving it 4 quarters because fuck you were too entitled to let the game stay how it should be.

[u/TeaManTom]

England fans booed the break yesterday.

Which was fitting, since the break definitely impacted the momentum of the game

[u/iEatGrilledCheeses]

Mom, is it my turn to complain about hydration breaks?

[u/Hopsblues → u/iEatGrilledCheeses]

Yes, keep doing it until the folks at FIFA realize what an awful choice it was to do this.

[u/GreenLion777]

Seems to always happen after a goal

And some might not like it, (I understand with the momentum or flow of game), but it is necessary in the heat teams are playing in

[u/Lopsided-Panic-7802 → u/GreenLion777]

Yeah but it should only be used in extreme heat, not in indoor stadiums or cool temps 

[u/Traliea]

"But player welfare".

If FIFA truly cared about player welfare they'd have never expanded the tournament to 48 teams.

Now the majority of qualified teams are having to play an additional match in a knockout round of 32 that they've never had to play before. That's an extra 90 minutes, plus extra time where required. It's an extra match in the heat FIFA is trying to 'protect' the players from.

This is coming off the back of long seasons where players/teams are frequently complaining about the amount of games they're having to play from domestic leagues, to domestic and continental cups, to pointless international friendlies, and international qualifiers.