Gianni Infantino declared the 2026 World Cup “the most successful event in history” on Tuesday, pointing to a 99.6 per cent occupancy rate across the first 44 matches and a cumulative attendance already exceeding 2.85 million. Speaking in New York, the FIFA president framed the tournament’s early stages as a vindication of its expanded 48-team format, with high-scoring contests and surprise performances from debutants Cabo Verde and Curaçao. The claim came as organisers faced sustained criticism over two innovations: mandatory hydration breaks in every match and ticket prices that, in some categories, reached record levels.

The three-minute pauses, inserted midway through each half, were introduced to mitigate the effects of extreme heat during the North American summer. Infantino argued that applying them uniformly—even in air-conditioned indoor venues—was essential to guarantee “equal conditions for all teams.” He rejected suggestions that the breaks were a disguised commercial opportunity, stating that all FIFA broadcasting contracts were signed before the policy was adopted and that the governing body “does not earn a single additional dollar.” Yet the measure has provoked visible discontent. In Dallas, where Argentina played under a closed roof, the interruption drew loud boos; similar reactions were reported from supporters of Germany and the Netherlands. Across Latin American media, the pauses were widely depicted as an Americanisation of football, while in US broadcast circles, analysts estimated that advertising slots during the breaks could generate more than $250 million for rightsholders such as Fox Sports. In the United Kingdom, where broadcasters did not insert commercials, the financial dimension was less apparent, but fan forums still hummed with complaints that the flow of matches had been disrupted.

On ticket pricing, Infantino pointed to the full stadiums as the ultimate rebuttal. He noted that the secondary market, legal in the United States, had driven resale prices even higher, suggesting that demand validated the initial cost. The revenues, he insisted, are channelled back into global football development, enabling smaller nations to close the gap—a point underscored by the competitive showings of Cabo Verde and Curaçao, both first-time qualifiers.

Infantino acknowledged that the breaks might influence match outcomes, but declined to label the effect as positive or negative, promising a full review after the tournament. “We will analyse everything,” he said, leaving open the possibility that hydration pauses could become a permanent fixture in future World Cups. For now, with 60 matches still to play, the debate over the sport’s rhythm and commercialisation runs parallel to a tournament that, by the numbers, is already rewriting record books.