FIFA to Review Mandatory Hydration Breaks and Medical-Stoppage Rule After 2026 World Cup

FIFA chief of football development Arsene Wenger said on Saturday that the organization will review the mandatory three-minute hydration breaks applied in every match at the 2026 World Cup, adding that he has not seen data indicating they enhance player performance or game flow. He spoke at a news conference at New York New Jersey Stadium.

“Sometimes people didn’t like it, and we have to analyse after the World Cup what is the impact,” he said. Before the tournament referees could order a hydration or cooling break at their discretion, with pauses lasting about 90 seconds. The new rule requires a three-minute interval midway through each half in every match, a change decided at the start of the competition.

Wenger said some fans expressed dissatisfaction with the breaks, particularly in covered stadiums. FIFA also introduced a separate rule requiring players who request medical intervention to leave the pitch for one minute, which reduced medical interventions from 2.3 times per match in 2022 to 1.6 in the current tournament. Wenger noted positive feedback on that rule from many people he consulted.

The Egypt-Iran group-stage match in Seattle took place at approximately 16 degrees Celsius, yet the mandatory breaks were still enforced. The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain is scheduled for Sunday at the same New York New Jersey Stadium.