Diego Maradona’s old warning about a World Cup in North America has resurfaced as one of the tournament’s most controversial new features continues to divide fans.
The Argentine legend, who died in 2020, criticised the decision to award the 2026 World Cup to the United States, Canada and Mexico back in 2018.
Now, eight years later, his comments are being revisited because of the mandatory hydration breaks that have stopped play in every match at the tournament.
Maradona’s old warning
According to UNILAD, Maradona was critical of the North American hosts when he spoke about the tournament in 2018.
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“There’s no passion. The Canadians may be good skiers, and the Americans wanted to have four periods of 25 minutes for the advertising,” Maradona said.
The comment was not a prediction that the World Cup would be held in the United States. By that point, the 2026 hosts had already been chosen.
Instead, what has caught attention now is the way his criticism appears to echo the current debate around hydration breaks and commercial interruptions.
Hydration breaks divide fans
FIFA has introduced three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half at the 2026 World Cup.
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According to FIFA, the breaks are imposed in every match, regardless of weather conditions, as part of its effort to prioritise player welfare.
The governing body says the measure is designed to ensure equal conditions for all teams and to protect players during a tournament played across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
But the decision has not been universally welcomed.
According to ESPN, critics have questioned whether the breaks are also serving a commercial purpose, because broadcasters are able to show adverts during the stoppages in some markets.
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That has made Maradona’s old remark about advertising feel unusually relevant.
Not everything aged the same way
Maradona’s comments have not all been vindicated.
He was especially dismissive of Mexico, suggesting they would quickly be knocked out when facing teams such as Brazil or Germany.
That part of the argument now looks far less convincing. Mexico have impressed during the tournament and are still alive in the knockout stage.
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But his wider concern about the rhythm of football being reshaped by commercial demands has clearly struck a nerve.
The hydration breaks have been defended on health grounds, but they have also changed the feel of matches. For many supporters, the stoppages make games feel less like traditional football and more like a sport broken into commercial windows.
A debate bigger than one quote
Maradona’s resurfaced comments have gained attention because they fit into a wider unease around the 2026 World Cup.
The tournament is bigger, more commercial and more heavily structured than any World Cup before it.
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FIFA argues that player welfare must come first, especially in a tournament played across large distances and in potentially high temperatures.
Many fans accept that concern, but still question why breaks are required even in mild conditions or closed stadiums.
That is why Maradona’s line has travelled so widely again.
Eight years ago, it sounded like another sharp attack from one of football’s most outspoken figures. In 2026, it has become part of a much larger argument about where the game is heading.
