USWNT legend Carli Lloyd is pushing back on the FIFA World Cup's new mandatory mid-half hydration breaks. The rule drew attention during the opening game between Mexico and South Africa as broadcasters used each three-minute pause to air full-screen ads.
Have Past World Cups Featured Hydration Breaks?
Cooling breaks aren't new to FIFA tournaments, after first being introduced during the 2014 Men's World Cup in Brazil. Officials also used them at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2023 Women's World Cup in Austrailia and New Zealand, but only when temperatures exceeded FIFA's threshold of 32°C (about 90°F).
Those pauses were shorter and allowed at the discretion of the match referee. However, the 2026 version mandates three minutes per game for hydration breaks, regardless of conditions.
Fans worry the breaks clash with the sport's tradition of continuous play.
Soccer runs on a 90-minute clock with no built-in stoppages, making the forced timeouts feel out of place for football fans. And, because the clock keeps running during these mandatory hydration breaks, fans can expect the added minutes to pile up during stoppage time.
I hate it. https://t.co/wSccS6JIR4
— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) June 11, 2026
Carli Lloyd, Alexi Lalas Express Anger Over World Cup Ad Breaks
During the first World Cup match on Thursday, Fox Sports analyst Alexi Lalas called the interruption "the end of the first quarter" on social media. Lloyd responded to his post, simply stating "I hate it."
As the World Cup schedule picks up, fans worry these pauses are here to stay. Fox escalated the tension by letting one commercial break run over, causing viewers to miss the Mexico vs South Africa match's reestart.
For now, soccer purists and pundits like Lloyd and Lalas agree the added commercialization threatens the flow of the game.
