The São Paulo state football championship, known as the Paulistão, will implement a longer half-time interval for its matches, according to a report from OneFootball on Thursday.
The competition's organizers have decided to extend the standard 15-minute break between halves, though the exact duration of the new interval has not been specified. The move aims to provide players with additional recovery time and could also allow for expanded broadcast and commercial opportunities during the pause.
Paulistão, one of Brazil's most traditional state championships, features major clubs such as Corinthians, Palmeiras, Santos, and São Paulo. The tournament typically runs from January to April each year. The rule change is expected to take effect in the upcoming edition of the competition.
Similar experiments with extended half-time breaks have been trialed in other leagues and tournaments globally, often driven by player welfare considerations and television scheduling demands.
