I have loved football for as long as I can remember. It's a sport that brings people together from all over  the globe, offering a shared experience that transcends languages and cultures.

However, I am tired of FIFA's continuous trend to commercializa the sport more and more: in the current World Cup tournaments through the mandatory hydration breaks. These breaks, ostensibly introduced under the guise of player welfare, are essentially being used as yet another tool for advertising, disrupting the game’s natural flow and the essence of what it is meant to be.

While it's vital to ensure players' health and safety on the field, this initiative seems more commercially motivated than benevolent. These interruptions break the continuity of the game, forcing players out of their rhythm and detracting from the 2-half authentic football experience fans and players cherish. Even more disconcerting is that these breaks are enforced, irrespective of the actual weather conditions or air-conditioned stadions —a move that feels like a transparent exploitation of the game to sell more ads.

Instead of mandating hydration breaks across the board, FIFA should employ them only when truly necessary—for example, in extreme heat conditions that undeniably affect player safety. Customized protocols can be put in place  when these breaks are genuinely required. 

Let's stand together against the over-commercialization of football. Our beloved sport should not be manipulated under the guise of health concerns while the primary motive is to increase advertising revenue. 

Sign this petition to urge FIFA to abolish mandatory hydration breaks and only deploy them when absolutely essential.