World Cup, a game of four halves

Football could become a game of four quarters under plans for the World Cup. The scheme being considered by the game's governing body Fifa would see players taking a drinks break of 90 seconds in the middle of each 45 minutes of play, signalling the end of the traditional "game of two halves".

The idea is to prevent players becoming dehydrated during matches in Japan and South Korea. It would also, of course, allow television companies to make more from extra advertising breaks.

Michel Zen-Ruffinen, general-secretary of Fifa, said: "We are looking to give the players a short break to allow them to go to the sidelines for a drink. We must not endanger them."

The sight of Premiership players taking gulps from bottles is a familiar one when games are disrupted by injury. But the idea of formal breaks would be unprecedented. It reportedly has the support of England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Fifa agreed to examine it at a meeting in Tokyo this week and is likely to make a final decision at a meeting in Zurich tomorrow.

The issue of refreshments during matches came to a head during the 1994 World Cup in the US when the heat and humidity brought complaints from European teams.