2026 World Cup: Arsenal legend Wenger backs controversial FIFA innovation

Arsène Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, has defended the implementation of mandatory hydration breaks during the 2026 World Cup, insisting they have not altered match outcomes or disrupted the competitive flow of play.

Speaking on Saturday at a press conference ahead of the highly anticipated final between Spain and Argentina at the New York-New Jersey Stadium, the legendary former Arsenal manager revealed that a definitive verdict on the future of the rule will be determined via a comprehensive post-tournament review.

The policy, which mandated a three-minute cooling-off period midway through each half, became a lightning rod for criticism throughout the tournament in North America.

Detractors argued that dividing ninety minutes of football into what essentially resembled four quarters actively destroyed team momentum.

The breaks also drew ire from stadium crowds, who frequently booed the stoppages, and from fans who accused FIFA of engineering the delays to allow broadcasters to air commercial blocks lasting over two minutes.

Addressing the media, Wenger firmly pushed back against criticism, saying, "No. Sometimes they did not like them and we have to analyse after the World Cup what is the impact. It did not look to me that it changed the results of the competition. But we are here to serve people who watch football."

The tournament's sprawling geographical layout across Canada, Mexico, and the United States created vastly disparate playing conditions, forcing some matches into brutal afternoon heat waves while others were contested in cooler northern venues like Boston.

Wenger explained that to maintain total sporting equity across all fixtures, FIFA elected to apply the hydration breaks uniformly rather than picking and choosing individual games.

This blanket approach quickly divided high-profile managers. While Spain's Luis de la Fuente and Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk approved of the medical intent in scorching weather, they questioned why the stoppages were strictly enforced inside climate-controlled, covered arenas.

Other figures were far less forgiving; England coach Thomas Tuchel lamented that the timeouts broke the organic rhythm of games, while Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa launched a scathing critique, claiming the breaks added nothing to the tactical landscape while actively eroding the cultural essence of the sport.

Wenger concluded that while the breaks were a medical necessity for many fixtures, FIFA has not yet made a final decision on whether the rule will return for future tournaments.