So instead of two halves it's now going to four quarters?

To be fair the hydration breaks are absolutely the right thing to do. Back in 94 I'm sure player welfare wasn't really considered a priority!

No doubt. It just seems to me that it massively impacts teams from creating any sort of momentum in the game with extra disruptions to add to 10 substitutions per match plus endless VAR intervention. Imagine all the "extra time" that will need to be added.

Will struggle to see teams get a foothold in any match under such conditions.

Yeah when it goes to half time with the 15 minutes each side, its very hard to get a momentum going so will cause too much disruption

Drinks breaks happened in Qatar didn't they? And also in the Club World Cup? I don't think it's much of an issue. Think how often teams can take to take a corner or when there is a VAR issue, it happens all the time. What is new is the commercialistation of them, but meh. It's hard to get wound up about it when people will pay silly money for tickets and sponsors will lap this up. People will watch the World Cup and it will make FIFA a lot of money.

The drink breaks I am 100% behind, it's the TV commercials that will apparently come with it this time that I have issue with. Not like they're aren't getting enough money from ticket prices that I am seeing. Ads should never be in the middle of a world cup match.

Broadcasters will be allowed to go to adverts during the breaks in the halfs. I suspect ITV may take advantage of this and perhaps try their split screen ads if they wanted to as they have done for their Six Nations coverage

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7081341/2026/03/05/world-cup-hydration-breaks-tv-commercials-ads/

Uploading Attachment...Fifa has no plans to replace Iran with Italy at this summer's World Cup according to sources, after the switch was proposed by US president Donald Trump's special envoy.

There has been ongoing uncertainty over Iran's participation in the tournament because of the war with US and Israel.

US special envoy Paolo Zampolli told the Financial Times, external: "I confirm I have suggested to Trump and Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World Cup.

I mean it's not like this Zampolli fella has ANY allegiance whatsoever to Italy right? So a totally fair, unbiased and reasonable suggestion right there...

If it were the case for Iran surely it would be an country from the AFC.

You would think so but remember this is a totally NON-CORRUPT competition.

Yes and also it's an World Cup in the country who has the president whom I can't say what I really think on an public forum. Iran deserve their place at the World Cup, I mean you got Hossein Vafaei Iran's only professional snooker player in the World Snooker Championship in the last 16, am I bothered that he and Iran are playing,.no not at all.

Preach Mack!

If anything it’s the USA who should be chucked out from starting the war!

Dick Advocaat could make a surprise return as head coach of the Curacao national team after his successor Fred Rutten resigned just a month out from their World Cup debut.

Advocaat made history last November when he led the Caribbean island to the finals but stepped down three months later because of his daughter's health.