In a friendly match between France and Brazil, which France won 2-1 near Boston, USA, on Thursday, March 26, the game was interrupted twice in each period. Officially, it was to allow players to cool off, as temperatures did not exceed 20 degrees. However, American broadcasters took advantage of these breaks to air some advertising.
In the 22nd minute of the match, the referee sent both French and Brazilian teams to their benches. This new break was not integrated by broadcaster TF1, so the three-minute pause was broadcast in full during both halves.
M6, the broadcaster of the World Cup, confirmed that they are ready to use these breaks for advertising during the tournament in June. One minute of advertising will be sold, authorized by FIFA. M6 sees this as a more financially rewarding advertising opportunity than the usual halftime and post-national anthem slots.
French coach Didier Deschamps is not in favor of this Americanization of soccer. He believes it disrupts the flow of the game, regardless of which team is in a strong position. However, nations playing in extreme heat, like in Texas at 40 degrees Celsius, may appreciate the break for both cooling off and advertising.
