England’s hydration break against Ghana was booed by travelling fans (Picture: Getty) Gianni Infantino claimed Fifa makes ‘no additional revenue’ from the increasingly unpopular hydration breaks during the World Cup. Three-minute pauses midway through both halves of all World Cup fixtures were introduced this summer to help players cope with extreme weather conditions in North America. However, the lengthy breaks have received a largely negative reaction from coaches and fans, with many spectators inside the stadium booing when they have been signalled for by the referee. The breaks have been made mandatory by Fifa despite several games taking place in air-conditioned stadiums or being played in manageable conditions. England fans booed loudly when a hydration break was called during their 0-0 draw with Ghana in Boston, where it was raining for periods of the match. There had also been a lengthy stoppage only six minutes prior after a clash of heads between Reece James and Jordan Ayew. While British broadcasters ITV and BBC have cut away to match analysis from pundits, television broadcasters in several other countries have instead shown adverts throughout the entire break. Hydration breaks have been made mandatory by Fifa (Picture: Getty) The breaks are likely to generate more than $250m (£189m) for American broadcasters alone (Picture: Getty) But despite that, Fifa president Infantino has suggested they make no money from such advertisements and said the breaks were only to ensure ‘equal conditions’ for all matches. ‘There is no additional revenue for Fifa, as all commercial agreements were signed well in advance,’ he said. ‘This is not a financial issue for us. For us, it is purely a sporting matter. ‘The main reason [for the breaks] is the heat, but we also have to understand that in a competition like the World Cup, played over 39 days, with teams potentially playing eight matches in those 39 days, having a moment to rest is extremely important. England boss Thomas Tuchel criticises hydration breaks England national team coach Thomas Tuchel speaks during the 2026 World Cup (Picture: Getty) Speaking before England’s draw with Ghana, Tuchel said that the breaks ‘interrupts and changes the identity of a football match’. ‘I had hydration breaks before when it was really, really hot and needed but they were shorter,’ he added. ‘They were just in a few matches. ‘Now it is a point of fairness to every team. Now it breaks the match almost in four quarters and it changes the characteristic of the match more than I thought. ‘I like it as a coach to have influence and have my team together but overall, I think I like football when it is played in one go, in one half. It builds a momentum, it is part of the game. ‘It is hard to build momentum and hard to keep the momentum. This is the battle on the field between the players on the field, it plays out in a longer period of time. It just adds to the characteristic of the beautiful game. It takes away from it. But on a point of fairness, of course it makes sense that everyone gets it.’ ‘What matters even more to us is ensuring that all teams, in every match, are playing under the same conditions. ‘And it’s very difficult to accept that a coach might have the opportunity to influence a match by making adjustments simply because it is hotter, while in another match, where the temperature is slightly lower, the same coach does not have the same opportunity. ‘We want to ensure equal conditions for everyone and that’s why these breaks are implemented in every match.’ Infantino also refused to rule out hydration breaks during future World Cups, and said FIFA would make a decision ‘based on this experience’. According to the BBC, experts suggest that an average 30-second World Cup advertising slot on American broadcaster Fox Sports would cost between $200,000 (£152,000) and $300,000 (£227,000). That figure rises to $750,000 (£567,000) during USA matches and the final stages, meaning hydration breaks are likely to generate more than $250m (£189m) for American broadcasters alone. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.