Wenger accepts hydration breaks drew criticism as Fifa prepares review

Arsene Wenger has acknowledged that the mandatory hydration breaks used at the 2026 World Cup were not universally welcomed, and said Fifa will examine their impact once the tournament concludes. Wenger, Fifa's head of global football development, said the governing body would "analyse after the World Cup what the impact was".

Fifa introduced three-minute hydration stoppages for every match at the tournament, regardless of weather conditions, across venues in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The governing body framed the measure as part of its commitment to player welfare, but the pauses drew visible frustration in the stands, with supporters booing them as the competition progressed.

Critics have also pointed to the commercial dimension. Experts told BBC Sport that an average 30-second World Cup advertising slot on Fox Sports in the United States costs between $200,000 and $300,000, climbing to around $750,000 during United States matches and the latter stages. Coaches were able to use the stoppages to deliver tactical instructions, effectively turning them into short timeouts.

Mixed reaction across the game

Wenger said the breaks did not appear to have influenced results, but accepted the discomfort they caused in some settings, noting that spectators were particularly unhappy in covered stadiums. He stressed that the decision had been taken for all matches at the outset of the competition on the grounds of consistency.

Opinion among coaches and administrators has been divided. Uefa has ruled out adopting similar breaks in its own competitions, while England manager Thomas Tuchel said earlier in the tournament that he was not a fan, arguing they interrupt and alter the character of a match. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente took the opposite view, describing the pause as a sensible measure for player health.

• Fifa mandated three-minute hydration breaks at every 2026 World Cup match, irrespective of conditions
• Wenger says Fifa will review the impact after the tournament rather than during it
• Booing from supporters grew as the competition went on, especially in covered stadiums
• US broadcast slots reportedly cost $200,000-$300,000 on average, rising to about $750,000 for major matches
• Uefa has ruled out introducing the breaks in its competitions

Expansion judged a success

Wenger was more unequivocal about the enlarged 48-team format, which he described as ethically necessary to give more nations a route into the tournament and a success despite pre-event scepticism. The hydration-break review is expected to feed into Fifa's planning for future competitions, with the balance between player welfare, broadcast commitments and the flow of matches central to that debate.