FIFA Weighs Retaining Hydration Breaks After Qatar 2022

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that the organization will evaluate the possibility of keeping the three-minute hydration breaks—introduced at the 2022 Qatar World Cup for every match—as a permanent feature of future tournaments. The assessment will be based on the experience gathered during the current edition.

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During the Qatar tournament, FIFA instituted a uniform pause midway through each half of every match, regardless of venue temperature or stadium design. The breaks were positioned at roughly the 22-minute mark of each half and lasted three minutes. Infantino cited the unprecedented intensity of play and the expansion of the competition from 32 to 48 teams as factors that prompted a standardized approach.

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Infantino defended the policy on several grounds. He argued that uniform breaks ensure sporting equity, preventing a scenario where only teams playing in hotter conditions receive a rest advantage. He also emphasized the physiological benefit, noting that a brief pause allows coaches to reassess tactics and players to recover before resuming at full speed. Regarding commercial implications, Infantino asserted that FIFA does not earn additional revenue from the extra television commercials because broadcasting contracts were finalized before the breaks were implemented. He indicated that FIFA will analyze the overall impact before deciding on future implementation.

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Spectators in multiple venues, including climate-controlled stadiums such as the one in Atlanta, expressed disapproval through audible jeers. Critics described the breaks as a covert method to insert additional advertising, likening them to American-style timeouts. The uniform application of the pauses—despite varying environmental conditions—has been questioned as unnecessary and disruptive to the flow of the game.

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• Break timing: approximately 22 minutes into each half.

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• Duration: three minutes per pause.

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• Applied to all matches, irrespective of venue climate.

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• Tournament featured an expanded field of 48 national teams and a record pace of goals.

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While Infantino maintains that FIFA receives no extra financial benefit from the added commercial slots, observers note that the three-minute interruptions create additional advertising opportunities, potentially increasing television revenue. No independent financial data have been released to confirm either claim, leaving the true economic impact unclear.

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The decision will shape the structure of future World Cups, influencing player-welfare protocols, match rhythm, and the commercial model for broadcasters. Uniform breaks could standardize conditions across diverse climates, but they also risk altering fan experience and raising questions about the balance between sport and revenue generation.

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FIFA has pledged to conduct a comprehensive review of the hydration-break experiment, with findings to inform policy for upcoming tournaments. Stakeholder feedback—including from national associations, broadcasters, and fan groups—will be incorporated into the final determination.

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• “Maybe the coach can reassess certain situations, correct certain mistakes. The players get a little rest and come back in full speed. Well, is that bad necessarily? Maybe it's good,” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

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• “We've never seen 90 minutes in a tournament like this played in such an intensity.” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

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• “If we were to use hydration breaks only in those matches where it was too hot and not in the other matches, we would give an advantage or a disadvantage to some of the coaches or some of the teams," he said.” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

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• “Why would the coach have the opportunity to influence the game in one match just because it's hot and in another match where it's a bit less hot, he wouldn't have this opportunity?” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

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• “And maybe, maybe not, but maybe it's also a bit thanks to this little break that the players have and after they can go back on the field and show what they can do.” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

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