Fox Sports drew intense criticism for cutting to full-screen commercials during mandatory hydration breaks in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, violating FIFA broadcast guidelines and missing the restart of play, while also failing to air the pregame musical performances.
Fox's World Cup coverage got off to a nightmare start Thursday after the network cut to a commercial during a hydration break in the opening match, before returning after play had resumed.
As co-hosts Mexico got the tournament underway against South Africa in Mexico City, Fox initially angered viewers by failing to show a pregame performance by Shakira on the field. Yet that proved just the tip of the iceberg, as the US broadcasters later sparked more fury by showing commercials during both of the mid-half hydration breaks, with commentator Ian Darke introducing them as being 'powered by Powerade.
' After cutting to a number of full-screen ads, in the second half the coverage returned three seconds after play between Mexico and South Africa had resumed. Fans were left furious over Fox's gaffe, with several of them taking to social media to hit out at the network. One user wrote: 'Fox Sports was playing so many commercials during the hydration break that the game restarted before they were done. Enough, man.
Stop this f***ing nonsense.
' Fox angered World Cup viewers by cutting to a commercial during a hydration break in the opening match between Mexico and South Africa The network also showed four of its analysts - Rebecca Lowe, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexi Lalas - instead of a pregame Shakira performance Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Deadly virus with no vaccine that's threatening to derail World Cup: Read horror worst case scenario 'Is @FOXSports seriously showing commercials in the middle of a half of World Cup football? What the f*** is going on?
This is embarrassing,' said another.
'Commercial breaks mid match during the hydration breaks are going to ruin this world cup for Americans. Disgusting practice from Fox....
' posted a third. While another fan simply asked: '@FOXSoccer just played full-screen commercials during the hydration break. Please never do that again.
' According to The Athletic's Henry Bushnell, FIFA's rules for broadcasters during hydration breaks were: Any cut-away ad break should not start within 20 seconds of the referee's whistle pausing play, and the match feed should return more than 30 seconds before play resumes. Hydration breaks have been introduced at this summer's World Cup to combat extreme temperatures after a heat wave at the Club World Cup in the US last year.
Ahead of the major international tournament, FIFA brought in mandatory three-minute hydration breaks for all matches, even games that are taking place in an arena with a retractable roof. Unlike Fox, Telemundo - the Spanish-language rightsholder in the US - promised to not cut to full-screen commercials during the hydration breaks, although it could use some picture-in-picture ads. Sports Business Journal reported on Thursday that Fox will use some of the hydration breaks for commercials and others for mid-game analysis.
A big difference between Fox/Telemundo during the hydration break. pic.twitter.com/EWKxnXqvJ5 — Bryan Fischer June 11, 2026 Fox missed three seconds of play on the field after returning from one of the ad breaks Shakira's performance in the opening ceremony was also not picked up on their coverage The broadcasters also came under fire for not showing the performance featuring Shakira as well as Burna Boy, J Balvin and other artists. Telemundo, meanwhile, showed it in full.
Fox instead cut to four of its World Cup analysts - including soccer legends Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic - from an empty stadium in Los Angeles during the performance. FIFA organized opening ceremonies ahead of the first match for each of the three host nations, with Fox airing other parts of it from Mexico City - including a procession of flags from the tournament's 48 nations and a performance by Andrea Bocelli.
Mexico ran out 2-0 winners in the opening match of the World Cup, with South Africa reduced to nine men after two red cards. The hosts also received a late sending off.
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