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1 hour ago
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One of the reasons watching soccer on TV can be so satisfying is that once the ball is kicked off, the match doesn't go to commercial until halftime.
That is, until the 2026 FIFA World Cup's hydration breaks.
Hydration breaks are written into the Laws of the Game as needing to take place when the game is played at over a certain temperature. In this World Cup, though, FIFA chose to take the breaks in every match.
They take place at the midpoint of the first half and the midpoint of the second half -- about the 23rd minute and the 67th minute.
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They're odd enough as is, because they create a few minutes of stoppage in a game that otherwise is fluid.
But for United States fans watching on Fox, it gets even weirder when the game goes to commercial.
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Why does Fox go to commercial during the hydration breaks at the World Cup?
This is a network-specific decision, and it's clearly about money.
By going to commercial, Fox can sell advertisements -- and at a time when people are paying pretty close attention, because it's not the anticipated halftime but rather a stop right in the middle of the action.
It stands out more because the U.S. Spanish-language broadcaster, Telemundo, isn't going to commercial during the hydration breaks. They use that window to discuss the ongoing match.
Fox, though, disappears for a few minutes.
One match even got back late from commercial and missed a bit of action.
It's certainly a totally new phenomenon in the world of watching The Beautiful Game on television.
English (US)