FIFA’s chief of football development, Arsene Wenger, has acknowledged that the governing body has not yet decided whether hydration breaks, introduced for the first time at this World Cup, will continue in future tournaments. Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, July 18th, 2026, Wenger noted that while some fans have expressed dissatisfaction with the mandatory three-minute hydration intervals midway through each half, the overall impact is still under review.

Wenger stated, “Sometimes people didn’t like it, and we have to analyse after the World Cup what is the impact.” When asked if there was data showing that these breaks improved players’ abilities or the flow of the game, he responded, “No.”

According to FIFA, the new regulation has decreased the number of medical interventions during matches from 2.3 times per game in 2022 to 1.6 in this tournament. Wenger also highlighted an unmeasurable benefit: reducing frustration caused when players feign injury by lying on the field. “I asked so many people what they think of the impact, and everybody was so positive about it,” he said.

The hydration breaks were enforced even in cooler conditions, such as during the Egypt-Iran group stage match in Seattle, where the temperature was around 16 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit).

The decision on whether to retain hydration breaks will be made after a thorough analysis following the conclusion of the World Cup.

Sources