Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:44pm on 01 Jul 2026,Wednesday Sports
FIFA sparked fresh controversy during the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash between Mexico and Ecuador after initially announcing that the mandatory hydration breaks would be removed because the match, delayed by 60 minutes due to thunderstorms in Mexico City, kicked off under cool 14°C conditions. However, referee Slavko Vinčić halted play around the 23rd minute for a hydration break despite FIFA's earlier statement, which was later removed from its website. The stoppage came moments after Mexico scored and launched another attack, prompting fans to accuse the referee of disrupting Mexico's momentum. Supporters also criticised several officiating decisions, including an incident where the referee obstructed Ecuador's attempt to regain possession. (PC: Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)
