U.S Soccer Legend Carli Lloyd Rips World Cup's 'Hydration Break'
Like many of us, US soccer icon Carli Lloyd sat down to watch the FIFA World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa. And like almost as many of us, she was upset by the frustrating new format that's been implemented.
In a World Cup first, FIFA implemented mandatory "hydration breaks" for every single match, no matter what the temperature is outside. Even the 2022 World Cup in Qatar didn't have that.
Fans recognized almost immediately that it was a ploy by FIFA to slip in some extra commercial breaks and squeeze more money out of advertisers while teams got a quick cup of water. So when the first hydration break came and the commercials began to run, FOX's Alexi Lalas took to X and joked it was "the end of the first quarter."
Lloyd then took to X and simply replied, "I hate it."
Like it or loathe it...
Lloyd is far from the only person who is already disliking the hydration breaks. Soccer fans across social media have complained that not only is it unnecessary and disruptive, it's probably here to stay:
"It feels increasingly obvious that FIFA will keep hydration breaks for future World Cups regardless of the weather. FIFA loves money and adding in commercial breaks is the easiest way to guarantee higher media rights fees. It's that simple," one user remarked.
"Get rid of the commercial breaks. Just let us watch them take the hydration break and listen to the stadium noise instead. Stop being greedy," wrote another.
"We all knew FIFA's motivations for the hydration break was financial and not 'player safety' but my god how was it over exploited this fast," a third said.
"Fox comes back late from its hydration break commercials. Unreal. Second break of the tournament and we're already missing live World Cup action. Brutal and embarrassing."
More egregious than the commercial breaks themselves were commercial breaks that wound up interrupting the game resuming.
FOX and all of the other networks out there need to avoid letting that happen at all costs.
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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 5:32 PM.