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FIFA could ditch the controversial World Cup hydration break after the tournament due to increasing unpopularity.
World Cup matches essentially became four quarters for the North American tournament, with a hydration break scheduled midway through the first and second halves. At each hydration break interval, match-going fans have booed as players headed back to their coaches.
FIFA head of global football development, Arsene Wenger, has now confirmed that a review will take place to determine whether they will continue the hydration break policy going forward. It comes after it was renamed the “tactics break” by former Premier League and Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given.
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Wenger said that "sometimes people didn't like" the hydration breaks and that FIFA will "analyze after the World Cup what the impact was,” hinting at a stunning U-turn.
"It didn't look to me that it changed the results but we are here to serve people that watch football and we will come to conclusions afterward," he continued.
"In many games, especially when the stadium was covered, people were not happy with it but at the start of the competition it was decided to do it for everybody,” Wenger added.
FIFA says the introduction of the rule has led to a noticeable reduction in stoppages for on-field treatment, with medical interventions dropping from an average of 2.3 per match at the 2022 World Cup to 1.6 during this tournament.
“There is an element in this impact of the rule that is not measurable – that is the frustration you feel when somebody is lying on the field and is not injured,” Wenger said.
“I asked so many people what they think of the impact, and everybody was so positive about it.”
According to BBC Sport, a standard 30-second commercial during Fox Sports' World Cup coverage in the United States is typically priced between $200,000 and $300,000.
Rates climb sharply for marquee fixtures, with advertising during USA matches and the latter stages of the tournament commanding as much as $750,000.
World Cup Final
In game 104 of the World Cup, defending world champions Argentina and European champions Spain are doing battle inside New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. The game saw an extravagant pre-game ceremony, with several A-list artists performing, before Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber, and Burna Boy took to the stage at half-time.
Argentina managed to force the game to extra time despite midfielder Enzo Fernández becoming the sixth man to ever be sent off in a World Cup final. The Chelsea midfielder received two yellow cards and was shown the red card.
Spain then broke the deadlock not long into the second half of extra-time, with Barcelona’s Ferran Torres striking to put the 2010 champions on the cusp.
