FIFA's top football development official, Arsène Wenger, admitted that fans are frustrated with the mandatory water breaks introduced at the 2026 World Cup and said the organization has not decided whether to keep them after this tournament. Speaking at a news conference on July 18, 2026, at the New York New Jersey Stadium — the venue for the World Cup final — Wenger said the three-minute breaks drew heavy criticism and lacked supporting data. When asked whether he had seen any data showing that the breaks help players perform better or keep the game flowing, Wenger replied simply: "No." (Al Jazeera)

FIFA formalized the rule in December 2025, announcing that every 2026 World Cup match would include mandatory three-minute water breaks midway through each half, no matter the weather. The stated reason was to protect players from extreme heat. This was a change from previous tournaments, where referees could choose to call short cooling breaks — usually about 90 seconds — only when they felt it was necessary. The new rule applied everywhere, which drew criticism when breaks were enforced even in comfortable weather. During the Egypt-Iran group stage match in Seattle, the temperature was about 16°C (60°F), but the mandatory breaks were still enforced in both halves. Before that match, Egyptian fan Roger Antoine told Al Jazeera: "If they do a hydration break tonight, that's going to be really funny because it's actually very cold." (Al Jazeera)

Wenger described the tension between medical reasoning and what fans want to see. "In some games, especially where the stadiums were covered, people were not happy with it," he said. "But at the start of the competition it was decided to do it for everybody." He said FIFA is still evaluating the policy: "Sometimes people didn't like it, and we have to analyse after the World Cup what is the impact." On the medical side, Wenger added, "Medically it was needed in many games. We have not come to a conclusion yet, but I promise you, we will get one." (Al Jazeera)

Fans also speculated that the breaks were designed to let broadcasters show television commercials — similar to how American sports like football and basketball pause frequently for ads. This idea came up naturally at the USA vs. Paraguay opening game in Los Angeles, a covered stadium, where a steward referred to the match segments as "quarters" because of the water breaks. (Al Jazeera)

Coaches had mixed views. Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa was blunt, saying the breaks "add nothing but take away a lot" (Reuters). England manager Thomas Tuchel said the breaks affected the game more than he expected (Reuters). FIFA President Gianni Infantino consistently defended the measure as "purely sporting, not commercial" (Reuters).

FIFA's own Technical Study Group, which analyzes match trends during tournaments, found that the breaks let teams adjust their tactics midway through a half. TSG member Pablo Zabaleta said the breaks helped teams, giving a sporting reason for the pauses despite fan unhappiness (FIFA).

Wenger also discussed another rule change that FIFA considers a clear success. A new rule requires players who call for medical help to leave the pitch for one minute before returning. FIFA says this reduced medical interruptions from 2.3 per match in 2022 to 1.6 in the 2026 tournament. Wenger concluded that, despite the disruptions, the water breaks did not affect the final results of the World Cup (Reuters).

The broader context here is that FIFA was trying to protect players from heat while keeping the game enjoyable to watch. The 2026 World Cup is held across North America, meaning matches take place in very different climates, from hot cities to mild ones to indoor stadiums with air conditioning. FIFA chose to apply the break rule everywhere so no venue was treated differently. But enforcing heat-protective measures in comfortable or indoor conditions created exactly the kind of awkward situation Wenger acknowledged. The steward calling match segments "quarters" in Los Angeles points to the central concern: changes meant to help players can reshape how fans experience the sport, pulling a game built on continuous play toward the stop-start rhythm of American football. Whether FIFA keeps, changes, or drops the mandatory breaks will depend on weighing the tactical benefits the TSG found against the clear signal from fans that the current format makes watching less enjoyable. Wenger's admission that no data backs the protocol's effectiveness leaves FIFA on shaky ground as it prepares its post-tournament review.