Tony Popovic is said to have consulted Australian Football League (AFL) coaches and peers to better manage the mid-half hydration breaks introduced or highlighted during the FIFA World Cup. According to multiple outlets, the broader football community has become accustomed to those pauses, and Popovic looks to AFL practice for practical guidance on using short intervals effectively. The reports describe how Popovic reaches out to friends within the AFL environment to learn approaches for preparing players during breaks, managing physical demands, and maintaining performance levels after the stoppage. While the articles do not provide detailed tactical specifics, they consistently present the same general account: Popovic engages with AFL contacts to translate experience from Australian rules football into the context of international soccer match rhythms. The sources align in framing the initiative as a cross-sport learning process focused on hydration-break timing and team management rather than on unrelated coaching changes.