The rules cited in the report limit ITV1, Channel 4 and Five to 168 minutes of advertising per day, with no more than 12 minutes in any clock hour.
That double restriction leaves little room for a new advert break midway through each half. Even a short commercial slot could push live coverage beyond the hourly limit, while moving existing adverts would simply create a different gap elsewhere in the schedule.
For ITV, the issue is not a lack of commercial interest. It is the limited amount of airtime available under the regulatory framework.
The report says ITV has instead used hydration stoppages for brief studio analysis. That approach keeps the broadcast within the stated limits while giving viewers commentary, tactical discussion and reaction before play resumes.
The alternative would be to cut advertising from pre-match coverage, half-time, post-match analysis or unrelated programming. That would make the schedule more complicated without increasing the total amount of paid-for airtime.
Hydration breaks may look like bonus inventory, but for ITV they appear to be a scheduling problem rather than a straightforward revenue opportunity.
The BBC is unaffected by the same commercial calculation because it does not carry standard advertising. Its coverage can return to analysis without deciding which adverts must be removed elsewhere.
That creates a clear contrast for UK viewers, particularly as the breaks become a routine feature of World Cup matches rather than an occasional response to extreme heat.
With hydration pauses expected to remain part of the tournament rhythm, the next storyline will be whether commercial broadcasters continue to accept them as studio windows - or whether future regulatory changes create space for the mid-match adverts seen in other markets.