As we revealed three months ago matches at this summer’s tournament will have NFL-style quarters instead of halves – breaking with 155 years of football tradition
ITV is in talks with commercial partners about screening adverts during mid-half drinks breaks at the World Cup.
As we revealed three months ago matches at this summer’s tournament will have NFL-style quarters instead of halves – breaking with 155 years of football tradition.
FIFA said three-minute hydration breaks will be introduced 22 minutes into each half of every game to allow players to recover in what is expected to be searing heat.
That has created a chance for broadcasters worldwide to screen extra ads during matches.
Football chiefs have decided a two-minutes-and-10-second commercial break will be allowed if TV companies opt to cut away from the on-field action.
They can also choose to stay with live pictures – or adopt a hybrid approach using a split screen.
ITV could resist the temptation to sell full commercial breaks in favour of ‘pic-in-pic advertising’ it utilised for the first time during this year’s Six Nations Championship.
The broadcaster declined to comment.
But sources said its use of in‑picture ads while scrums are set in their Six Nations rugby union coverage had been well received by viewers.
who they are wary of antagonising, particularly during such an important event as the World Cup.
They are seen as less disruptive and allow commentary teams to continue match analysis and pick up details of tactical instructions relayed by coaches to players during breaks.
ITV has joint live rights for the World Cup in the UK with the BBC which only advertises its own programmes.
The World Cup will be the first major tournament to introduce mid-half breaks to ‘prioritise player welfare’.
It will happen in games regardless of the weather conditions ‘to ensure equal conditions for all teams in all matches’.
The move came after experts warned high temperatures, wildfires and even hurricanes could affect teams, fans and stadium workers during the tournament played across the US, Canada and Mexico in June and July 2026.
A recent Pitches in Peril report – compiled by pressure groups Football for the Future and Common Goal – found 10 of the 16 World Cup venues are at ‘very high risk of experiencing extreme heat stress conditions’.
But it will turn soccer matches into four quarters – just like the US’s No1 sport American Football.
Extra ad sales could see broadcasters potentially tripling income.
But supporters accused FIFA of Americanising the game so home fans will engage.
One wrote online: “Wear helmets & uniforms and they can play NFL at the same time!!”
Another said: “Hydration break? Sure, just call it what it really is – an advert break. America loves pausing their sports for those.”
“Game now in quarters. Gone completely,” said another.
One more wrote: “All the adverts will be for Trump products.”
Another raged: “FIFA have sold their soul. This is purely for the USA market and so they can have adverts during a game!”
“How about time-outs, girls dancing during water breaks, a rousing marching band at half-time, adverts for toothpaste and all the rest of the American football experience,” added someone else.
FIFA has already announced the World Cup final on July 19 will feature a half-time show for the first time – just like NFL’s Super Bowl.
Football’s world governing body has insisted the extra breaks were nothing to do with advertising revenue and purely down to player welfare.
It comes after scheduling of last summer’s Club World Cup in the US drew complaints from players and managers as matches took place in extreme heat.
After his team’s 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid 4-0 in a midday kick-off in Los Angeles Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique complained temperatures hit nearly 40C with 60% humidity.
“The match was clearly influenced by the temperature,” he said.
“The time slot is great for European audiences but the teams are suffering. In terms of play it’s impossible to perform at a very high level for 90 minutes.”
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez said he felt ‘dizzy’ while playing at the tournament.
The Argentine said: “Honestly, the heat is incredible. The other day I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy.
“Playing in this temperature is very dangerous, it’s very dangerous.
“Moreover, for the spectacle, for the people who come to enjoy the stadium, for the people who watch it at home. The game, the speed of the game is not the same, everything becomes very slow.”
Last week England manager Thomas Tuchel said he may have his substitutes stay in the dressing room during matches because of the risks posed by high temperatures.
FIFA said the hydration breaks will be a ‘streamlined and simplified version’ of similar ones used at previous tournaments including the Club World Cup.
Cooling breaks were previously mandatory in each half when the temperature exceeded 32C.
Heat is one the factors that has led to the World Cup having 13 different kick-off times.
Chief tournament officer Manolo Zubiria said: “For every game, no matter where the games are played, no matter if there’s a roof, temperature-wise, there will be a three-minute hydration break.
“It will be three minutes from whistle to whistle in both halves.
“Obviously, if there’s an injury stoppage at the moment of the 20th or 21st minute and it’s ongoing this will be addressed on the spot with the referee.”
Organisers tried breaking games into quarters at the 1994 World Cup in the US but FIFA said no.
Football has been a game of two halves since the 1870 when England’s FA formalised rules shortening hour-long halves into a 90-minute match.
Half-time used to be just 10 minutes long but officially extended to ‘not exceeding 15 minutes’ in 2006.
In the NFL, breaks between the first and second and third and fourth quarters last about two minutes with at least 12 minutes for ‘half-time’ between the second and third.
Each quarter is 15 minutes long but stoppages for penalties, time-outs and commercials can stretch out 60-minute games to three hours.