Gianni Infantino has fiercely defended the mandatory hydration breaks implemented at the World Cup, vehemently denying accusations that FIFA have introduced the stoppages purely for financial gain. Fans and pundits have heavily criticised the mandatory pauses for disrupting the flow of matches and acting as extra television advertising slots for broadcasters.
FIFA president denies financial motivation
Infantino has strongly rejected claims that the new mandatory three-minute hydration breaks in the 22nd and 67th minute of games are designed to generate advertising revenue. Reports suggested that some television commercial slots were being sold for $750,000 during United States fixtures, leading supporters to believe the stoppages were a commercially driven decision.
However, speaking to The Guardian, Infantino insisted that FIFA have not profited from these pauses. He stated: "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."
Dealing with extreme tournament conditions
The mandatory pauses have frustrated players and coaches who feel the stop-start nature disrupts match rhythm and momentum. Despite this, Infantino maintains that the primary reason for the breaks is player welfare during a physically demanding tournament. The schedule requires teams to play up to eight matches across 39 days, making fatigue a genuine concern.
Addressing these challenges, Infantino added: "The main reason is the heat, but we also have to understand that in a competition like the World Cup, played over 39 days, with teams potentially playing eight matches in those 39 days, having a moment to rest is extremely important."
Ensuring sporting fairness across all fixtures
Beyond player safety, Infantino argued that the universal application of these breaks guarantees fairness across the entire competition. He explained that allowing managers time to make tactical adjustments only in exceptionally hot matches would create a sporting imbalance.
Highlighting this point, Infantino said: "What matters even more to us is ensuring that all teams, in every match, are playing under the same conditions. It’s very difficult to accept that a coach might have the opportunity to influence a 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 the same opportunity."
