Brazil 2014 will bring an innovation to the soccer world as the medical department of FIFA has finally approved the new so-called timeout rule strongly desired by numerous players and coaches around the world.

The new rule is one step closer to being implemented in the World Cup. The motivation for this innovation is directly related to the health of the players, who will for sure benefit from being able to have extra time to rest when playing in difficult weather conditions. Specifically, this rule will be used for the two World Cup games that will be played in northeast Brazil around the hottest time of the day.

The games are Italy–Costa Rica on June 20 and Italy–Uruguay of four days later, in Recife and Natal respectively. It is important to notice that in these two cities, temperatures could reach 35 degrees Celsius with a humidity of 80 percent, potentially creating a risky scenario for the players, especially for the Azzurri who will be playing both of them.

With the timeout rule, teams will have the chance to use a set of 3-4 breaks per half for players to rest and hydrate. Despite the fact that this might sound unappealing in terms of the spectacle and pace of the games, the hope is that the players will greatly benefit and their performances will also improve in the long run.

Riccardo Di Julio is a Soccer Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Italcatenaccio and add him to your network on Google.