Fans booed, coaches grumbled and broadcasters cashed in — now Fifa will review the mandatory hydration breaks that Arsene Wenger admits have not been popular at the 2026 World Cup.
Fifa introduced three-minute stoppages for every match across the US, Mexico and Canada, regardless of conditions, in what the governing body called a commitment to player welfare. But the breaks quickly became a flashpoint, with spectators voicing their frustration as games were paused — often in covered stadiums where the temperature was not extreme.
“Fifa will review mandatory World Cup hydration breaks after fans booed them, admits Arsene Wenger.”
“Sometimes people didn’t like it,” Wenger, Fifa’s head of global football development, told BBC Sport. “It didn’t look to me that it changed the results but we are here to serve people that watch football and we will come to conclusions afterwards.”
The former Arsenal manager confirmed Fifa will analyse the impact after the tournament ends. “In many games, especially when the stadium was covered, people were not happy with it but at the start of the competition it was decided to do it for everybody,” he added.
Critics have pointed to the commercial opportunities for broadcasters. Experts told BBC Sport that an average 30-second ad slot on Fox Sports in the US costs between $200,000 (£152,000) and $300,000 (£227,000), rising to $750,000 (£567,000) during USA matches and the final stages. The breaks effectively served as tactical timeouts, allowing coaches to run through strategic changes with players.
European football body Uefa has ruled out introducing the breaks. England manager Thomas Tuchel earlier said they “interrupt and change the identity of a football match”. Spain boss Luis de la Fuente voiced support, saying he is “always interested in the health of my players” and describing the pauses as “the right measure”.
Separately, Wenger defended the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, which was questioned before the tournament. “I am convinced it was the right decision and it was a great success,” he said.
Fifa’s review will now decide whether the hydration breaks — booed by supporters and disliked by many in the game — remain part of football’s biggest stage.