The mandatory pauses, which last three minutes and are applied in the 22nd and 67th minutes of each match in the tournament, have sparked a wave of criticism since the first round, whether from players, coaches or fans.
The hydration break was introduced to help players deal with the high temperatures across North America, but at the same time it opened additional advertising windows for broadcast networks, sparking widespread debate about its impact on the conduct of matches.
This move intensified the debate about its implications for the game, after some viewers complained about commercials being shown during the three-minute pauses.
Infantino said, in a statement issued on Wednesday: “There is no additional revenue for FIFA, as all commercial agreements were signed well in advance. Therefore, this is not a financial issue for us, but rather a purely mathematical matter.”
Pause periods allow technical staff to provide tactical instructions during matches, which critics consider a factor that interrupts the rhythm of matches and causes a fundamental change in the nature of the game.
In this context, the England national team coach, Thomas Tuchel, believed that the hydration break “disrupts the rhythm of the match and changes the identity of the game,” while the Uruguay national team coach, Marcelo Bielsa, considered that dividing the matches into shorter periods robs football of part of its basic character.
On the other hand, the coach of the Spanish national team, Luis de la Fuente, and the captain of the Netherlands national team, Virgil van Dijk, expressed their support for the purpose of this rule in extremely hot climates, but they wondered about the extent of its need in cold weather or inside covered stadiums.
“The main reason is the heat,” Infantino explained, adding that in a tournament that extends over 39 days, with some teams potentially playing eight matches during this period, having moments of rest is extremely important.
He added: “What matters most to us is ensuring that all teams play, in every match, under the same conditions.”
The FIFA President stressed that the hydration breaks did not negatively affect the rhythm of the matches, stressing that the players maintained a high level of performance throughout the matches.
