Fair to say that Hydration breaks have annoyed football fans at this 2026 World Cup more than anything else, when it comes to what happens on an actual matchday anyway.
It has now become the norm for the fans inside each stadium to boo loudly when the matches are stopped at the midway point of each half.
It didn’t take a genius to quickly realise what these Hydration breaks were in reality.
FIFA arranging it for the benefit of themselves and broadcasters, who wanted to generate huge amounts of extra cash by having three minutes of adverts in the middle of each half.
No matter how much rain, or how low the temperature, FIFA insisting that play is stopped so that adverts can be shown by the broadcasters. This especially applying to North America, where all of their native sports are organised so there is plenty of opportunity to fit in as many adverts as possible during the action.
Whilst all true football fans see this as an abomination to turn our sport into four quarters, it was inevitable we would have some pushing for the World Cup Hydration (Advertising) breaks to carry over into club football.
Amongst those who have came out publicly to back this horrific suggestion, is former Man U manager Ralf Rangnick. The now Austria boss saying after Monday’s defeat to Argentina: “I think it is good that there is this hydration break, even if you don’t necessarily need it today in this air-conditioned stadium to drink…but it gives coaches the opportunity to adjust a few things again and to give the players a few messages along the way. We try to use that as far as possible, that is why I am basically not against the idea that there is this possibility. I am also excited to see how it will be done at some point in Europe or worldwide in the league games or in international games.”
At least Ralf Rangnick is honest enough to admit that it is a farce to claim Hydration breaks are needed at all. Whilst broadcasters are cramming in the extra adverts, the Austria boss thinks it a great idea because just over 20 minutes after kick-off, he can talk to his players once again.
Yes, never mind the paying fans who hate this nonsense, those inside the stadiums and the rest of us shouting at our TVs.
Thankfully, others are prepared to ridicule Ralf Rangnick, FIFA and the broadcasters.
Marcelo Bielsa is Uruguay Head Coach and he has said: “Playing four periods instead of two, alters the culturally constructed conception of how to interpret football, in my view it adds nothing and takes away a lot. When it was divided into four periods [for this 2026 World Cup], no thought was given to the effect it might have on what makes football such a captivating sport, but instead to other repercussions.”
Whilst Paraguay boss Gustavo Alfaro also tells it how it is: “It is a commercial break, it is not a hydration break, the game is getting out of hand.”
The more people that refer to it as advertising breaks the better.
I would love it if at all the matches, the players agreed to ignore the ‘hydration’ breaks when the referees stop the game, certainly midway through the first half. It would be great to see all 22 players just stay on the pitch hands on hips, making clear they need no hydration break and that they and the fans just want to see play continue without these ridiculous extra lengthy interruptions.