New Delhi, July 19 -- MIAMI - The mandatory three-minute hydration breaks that FIFA introduced at the 2026 World Cup may not survive the tournament that gave them a global stage. Arsene Wenger, FIFA's chief of football development, acknowledged Friday that fans have not liked them and said the governing body will "analyse after the World Cup what is the impact." The first time FIFA has required water breaks in every match, the rule has generated the kind of sustained criticism that, in governing body terms, amounts to an informal public verdict.

The breaks, three minutes long and mandatory midway through each half, expanded on an existing discretionary system that allowed referees to order shorter stops during exceptional heat conditions...