World Cup TV viewers forced to watch adverts as matches are played in major change | Football | Sport
FIFA have reportedly given broadcasters the green light to air adverts in the middle of matches at the upcoming 2026 World Cup. It comes after two three-minute hydration breaks per match were approved for the tournament last year.
The breaks were granted amid fears of soaring heat in the North American summer, with FIFA labelling it a ‘player welfare’ measure. However, it has since been announced that broadcasters will be allowed to cut away from the programming in order to show adverts during those breaks.
That’s according to The Athletic, who have been briefed by those with knowledge about the major changes set to be introduced. It’s said that broadcasters must wait until at least 20 seconds after the referee’s whistle before cutting to an ad, with the feed having to return more than 30 seconds before play resumes.
All in all, it will grant broadcasters an extra two minutes and 10 seconds to air adverts during a match. There is no contractual obligation to cut away for adverts, meaning channels could instead return to a studio for in-game analysis, or even just shrink the screen and have adverts displayed side-by-side with the regular match feed.
The hydration breaks represent a big change to the traditional 90-minute structure of a match, as instead of two 45-minute halves, it’s likely games will be split into four quarters. This not only has implications on player fitness, but also the tactical side of the game, given that managers will be able to issue instructions to their team while the match is paused.
Chief tournament officer for the World Cup, Manolo Zubiria, said: “For every game, no matter where the games are played, no matter if there’s a roof, [or] temperature-wise, there will be a three-minute hydration break. It will be three minutes from whistle to whistle in both halves.
“Obviously, if there’s an injury [stoppage] at the moment of the 20th or 21st minute and it’s ongoing, this will be addressed on the spot with the referee.”
The World Cup is set to get underway in fewer than 100 days, and away from the pitch there have been plenty of concerns surrounding the ongoing geopolitical situations in North America and the Middle East. Earlier this year there were mass anti-ICE protests in the United States, while a cartel-led attack wreaked havoc in one of the Mexican host cities.
