Why The 2026 World Cup Has In-Game Ads For The First Time And What FIFA Gets Out Of It

BusinessSportsMoneyWhy The 2026 World Cup Has In-Game Ads For The First Time And What FIFA Gets Out Of ItBySam Leveridge,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Sam Leveridge is a reporter based in Spain with a focus on soccer.Follow AuthorJun 15, 2026, 01:12pm EDTSummaryThe 2026 World Cup's new mandatory three-minute hydration breaks are fundamentally reshaping soccer, driven by commercial interests rather than solely player welfare. These universal stoppages, occurring twice per game, create valuable new advertising inventory for broadcasters. FOX immediately faced backlash for cutting to full commercials, even missing live play, contrasting with Telemundo's choice to offer live analysis during the pauses. Fans and coaches widely condemn these "momentum breaks" for disrupting the sport's continuous flow. This strategic move, generating revenue from "thin air," pushes soccer towards an American-style, commercially interrupted model, with FIFA anticipating substantial financial gains and a lasting transformation of the game's identity.Show More BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 13: Electronic screen displaying hydration break information during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match between Haiti and Scotland at Boston Stadium on June 13, 2026 in Boston, United States. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)Visionhaus/Getty ImagesWhen the referee blew his whistle at the 22-minute mark of Mexico vs. South Africa as the 2026 World Cup opener FOX cut immediately to a commercial. The game had barely drawn breath. Three minutes later, when play was supposed to resume, FOX was still in ads. The ball was already in motion by the time the network came back. It was the opening scene of a story that critics claim has almost nothing to do with player hydration.FIFA announced the hydration break policy in December 2025 to include two mandatory three-minute stoppages per game, at the 22-minute mark of each ha...