Fox has come under fire after its US World Cup coverage appeared to clash with FIFA’s broadcast guidance during the tournament opener.
The 2026 World Cup began in Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June, where co-hosts Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 in the opening game at the revamped Estadio Azteca, the first stadium to stage matches at three different men’s World Cups.
It was a chaotic start to the competition, featuring two goals, three red cards and a star-studded opening ceremony performance from Shakira alongside several other artists. But for some viewers watching on Fox, part of the match was missed.
Because of the intense heat expected at a number of tournament venues across the United States, Mexico and Canada, FIFA introduced mandatory three-minute hydration breaks in the middle of each half of every match as part of its player-welfare plan for the expanded 48-team tournament.
In December, FIFA said there would be “no weather or temperature condition in place, with the breaks being called by the referee in all games”.
That policy means all 104 matches at the 2026 World Cup are expected to include the stoppages, regardless of venue or local conditions, making them a significant new part of the tournament’s broadcast rhythm.
Networks are permitted to cut to commercials during those stoppages, but Fox is now facing criticism over claims it failed to follow one of FIFA’s expectations for the breaks.
According to The Athletic, sources close to football’s governing body said broadcasters were told not to begin an ad break within 20 seconds of the referee signalling the stoppage.
They were also expected to return coverage at least 30 seconds before play restarted. Fox is believed to have fallen short of that second requirement.
The issue came during the 67th minute, when commentator Ian Darke said:
“And that leads to the hydration break, powered to you by Powerade.”
Fox then ran around two minutes of adverts. However, when the game resumed, viewers were still seeing an Adidas commercial.
The channel did not cut back to the live match until several seconds after the restart, prompting fresh complaints about the way football is being packaged for US audiences during a tournament in which live action can continue immediately after the referee’s signal.
Supporters quickly posted online to complain about the apparent mistake.
“Fox Sports was playing so many commercials during the hydration break that the game restarted before they were done,” one viewer wrote on X.
A second added:
“Commercial breaks mid-match during the hydration breaks are going to ruin this World Cup for Americans. Disgusting practice from Fox,”
while a third described it as ’embarrassing’.
The criticism also comes after some fans complained that Fox’s main match coverage did not show Shakira’s pre-match performance in full, underlining wider frustration around how much of FIFA’s host-broadcast feed is being replaced by studio segments and advertising.
The broadcast controversy comes during a World Cup that has introduced a number of new rules, many aimed at cutting down on time-wasting and keeping matches moving.
Players being substituted must now leave the field within 10 seconds using the nearest exit. If they fail to do so, their replacement can be delayed until the next stoppage, leaving their team temporarily down to 10 men.
Referees can also start a five-second visual countdown if they believe a player is taking too long over a throw-in or goal kick. If the ball is not back in play by then, possession changes: the opposition gets the throw-in, or in the case of a goal kick, a corner is awarded.
Another recent law change that applies at the tournament is the new limit on goalkeepers holding the ball: if a keeper keeps possession for more than eight seconds inside the penalty area, the opposition is awarded a corner, with referees using a visible five-second countdown for the final part of that period.
VAR has also been expanded. It can now be used to review a clearly incorrect second yellow card that leads to a red, mistaken identity in disciplinary incidents, and in some competitions an incorrectly awarded corner if the check can be completed immediately without delaying the restart.
FIFA and IFAB have also been consulting on tougher measures around player behaviour, including mouth-covering during confrontations and walk-offs in protest at refereeing decisions, though the most widely confirmed competition changes ahead of this World Cup have focused on time-wasting, substitutions and broader VAR powers.
With the tournament running until 19 July across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the United States, the handling of hydration breaks and ad loads is likely to remain under scrutiny, especially if broadcasters continue to test how far football viewers will tolerate commercial interruptions during live play.