Football fans are not happy about the new hydration breaks at the World Cup. Spectators in stadiums have been expressing their dissatisfaction with the breaks by booing. They are not the only ones to express their unhappiness. Players and managers are less than happy. France's manager complained about the breaks disrupting the free-flowing nature and momentum of games. He said: "It's almost four quarters, and before we had two halves." A Netherlands defender said the breaks were unnecessary. He said they were "not really" something he wanted in football.

Football's governing body introduced the concept of water breaks last year. It said they would be in every game, regardless of temperatures. Some games in the USA have been held in climate-controlled conditions. Critics argue that the breaks are mainly for commercial reasons. The BBC reported that an average 30-second World Cup ad slot on Fox Sports costs up to $750,000. Fox came back late from a commercial break during the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa. The BBC added that: "It is highly likely that the breaks will remain a long-term feature."