Fifa will not punish Fox for breaking advertising rules during the World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa last week. The US broadcaster overran commercials during a hydration break, violating strict guidelines that require broadcasts to return to live action 30 seconds before play resumes.
Incident Details
During the second half at Mexico City Stadium, Fox returned to the match 10 seconds after play had resumed, overrunning its ads by 40 seconds. The tournament regulations, provided to rights holders two months prior, mandate a 30-second return buffer.
Fox's Explanation Accepted
Fox claimed it was unaware that referee Wilton Sampaio signaled an early hydration break after Raúl Jiménez scored Mexico's second goal. As a result, Fox was late in cutting to commercials, causing the overrun. Fifa accepted this explanation and will take no action.
Fox owns the English-language rights to World Cup games in the US. While some viewers complained, no repeat incidents have occurred. Telemundo, the Spanish-language broadcaster in the US, opted not to show full-screen ads during hydration breaks, which last three minutes and occur once per half regardless of temperature.
Fifa declined to comment.
