Arsène Wenger, Fifa's head of global football development, has acknowledged that the mandatory three-minute hydration breaks introduced at the 2026 World Cup have proved unpopular with fans, and said Fifa will assess their impact once the tournament ends. The breaks, applied regardless of weather conditions across all matches in the United States, Mexico and Canada, were introduced by Fifa citing player welfare, but critics argue they mainly benefit broadcasters by creating extra advertising slots and act as de facto tactical timeouts for coaches.

Wenger said the pauses "didn't look" to have affected results but acknowledged growing frustration, with crowds booing the breaks as the competition progressed, particularly in covered stadiums. Analysts told the BBC that 30-second adverts on US broadcaster Fox Sports have cost between $200,000 and $300,000, rising to $750,000 during USA matches and the latter stages. Reaction among coaches has been mixed, with Uefa ruling out the breaks for its own competitions and England's Thomas Tuchel criticising their effect on the game's flow, while Spain's Luis de la Fuente has defended them on player health grounds. Wenger also said the expansion to a 48-team World Cup had been "a great success".