News Focus
- Fox broke FIFA’s advertising rules during the tournament opener in Mexico City
- The broadcaster returned to live action 40 seconds late after a hydration break
- FIFA accepted Fox’s explanation about confusion over an early referee signal
- No punishment will be given to the English-language rights holder
FIFA will not punish the American television network Fox for breaking advertising rules during the World Cup opening match. The incident took place during the clash between Mexico and South Africa last week.
The broadcaster made an error during a hydration break in the second half. FIFA rules state that networks must return to live coverage 30 seconds before play restarts. However, Fox came back 10 seconds after the match had already resumed.
The mistake happened after Raúl Jiménez scored Mexico’s second goal. The referee, Wilton Sampaio, signalled for a hydration break earlier than expected. Fox claimed they did not see this signal quickly enough.
Because of this confusion, the broadcaster started their commercial breaks late. This caused the advertisements to overrun by 40 seconds. Fox explained the situation to FIFA officials.
The governing body accepted Fox’s reason and decided to take no action. Fox holds the English-language broadcasting rights for the tournament in the United States.
Some viewers complained about the error on social media. However, no similar incidents have happened since that match. Telemundo, the Spanish-language broadcaster in the US, has chosen not to show full-screen commercials during these breaks.
Hydration breaks last for three minutes and occur once in each half of the match. They take place regardless of the temperature at the stadium.