FIFA Defends Hydration Breaks: Sporting Equity, Not Revenue, Is the Goal
A FIFA official has clarified that recent hydration breaks in football matches stem entirely from considerations of sporting fairness rather than financial gain. All major broadcasting contracts were already in place before the policy was adopted, meaning FIFA receives no additional revenue. The official pointed to the Champions League final in Budapest between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain as an instance where such breaks were used without issue, even in moderate evening temperatures around 20 degrees.
