Report: FIFA allowing cut-away commercials during World Cup hydration breaks

World Cup broadcasters have been granted permission to cut away to show commercials during in-game hydration breaks this summer, sources told The Athletic's Henry Bushnell.

FIFA announced in December that that every World Cup match would feature three-minute breaks midway through each half as part of the organization's "commitment to player welfare."

Broadcasters have now been allowed two minutes and 10 seconds of this window to potentially show commercials, which can begin 20 seconds after the referee has blown his whistle to signal the hydration break, according to guidelines shared with Bushnell. The match feed must return more than 30 seconds before play resumes.

Broadcasters aren't obliged to flip to commercials, so they could instead use the time for in-studio analysis or just stick with the match feed. The latter could still involve advertisements on part of the screen, but these spots can only be sold to FIFA sponsors. The major global partners for the tournament include Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil and gas company Aramco and other companies long associated with major soccer events like Adidas, Coca-Cola, and Visa.

The sale of cut-away commercials will reportedly be an open process.

FIFA will control the in-stadium branding of the breaks. At last summer's Club World Cup in the United States, they were called "Powerade hydration breaks" on the video boards. Powerade is a Coca-Cola product.

South American confederation CONMEBOL added mandatory 90-second hydration breaks to the Copa Libertadores, its flagship continental club competition, in February. The coverage doesn't cut to advertisements during this time.