Fifa president Gianni Infantino has claimed the organisation makes 'no additional revenue' from the increasingly unpopular hydration breaks introduced at the World Cup, despite television broadcasters airing adverts during the pauses. The three-minute breaks, mandatory midway through both halves of every match, have been met with boos from fans, including England supporters during their 0-0 draw with Ghana in Boston, where it was raining.
Infantino defends breaks as sporting matter
Infantino insisted the breaks are not a financial issue for Fifa. 'There is no additional revenue for Fifa, as all commercial agreements were signed well in advance,' he said. 'This is not a financial issue for us. For us, it is purely a sporting matter.' He added that the main reason is the heat, but also noted that teams could play up to eight matches in 39 days, making rest periods important. 'What matters even more to us is ensuring that all teams, in every match, are playing under the same conditions,' Infantino said.
England fans boo break during rainy match
England fans loudly booed when a hydration break was called during their goalless draw with Ghana, despite rain falling for periods of the match. The break came just six minutes after a lengthy stoppage for a clash of heads between Reece James and Jordan Ayew. While British broadcasters ITV and BBC cut to match analysis, television broadcasters in other countries showed adverts throughout the entire three-minute pause.
Tuchel criticises breaks for changing match identity
England boss Thomas Tuchel criticised the breaks before the match, saying they 'interrupt and change the identity of a football match'. He said: 'I had hydration breaks before when it was really, really hot and needed but they were shorter. Now it is a point of fairness to every team. Now it breaks the match almost in four quarters and it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought.' Tuchel added: 'I like football when it is played in one go, in one half. It builds a momentum, it is part of the game.'
Lucrative ad revenue for broadcasters
According to the BBC, experts suggest an average 30-second World Cup advertising slot on American broadcaster Fox Sports costs between $200,000 (£152,000) and $300,000 (£227,000). That figure rises to $750,000 (£567,000) during USA matches and the final stages. Hydration breaks are likely to generate more than $250m (£189m) for American broadcasters alone. Infantino refused to rule out hydration breaks at future World Cups, saying Fifa would decide 'based on this experience'.
