FIFA defends MetLife Stadium pitch after France and Brazil complaints
World football’s governing body FIFA has defended the condition of the MetLife Stadium pitch after players from France and Brazil heavily criticised the playing surface.
The East Rutherford arena, rebranded as the New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament, will host six further matches including the final on 19 July.
Serious concerns have been raised regarding the state of the turf following recent group stage fixtures at the venue.
Player frustration
Brazil played out a 1-1 draw at the arena before France secured a 3-1 victory over Senegal three days later.
Following his nation’s fixture, Vinicius Junior expressed deep dissatisfaction with the dry and patchy conditions.
“Because of the weather and the heat, the grass dries out quickly and the game ends up being very slow. We can’t build up a rhythm.”
France manager Didier Deschamps adopted a more diplomatic tone but readily acknowledged the unusual nature of the turf.
The two-time World Cup winner suggested there might be cement beneath the grass, noting the exceptionally short shards.
His midfield orchestrator, Adrien Rabiot, offered a much blunter assessment of the New Jersey venue.
“It seemed more like an artificial pitch. It was hard and rigid, but it’s like that for every team.”
FIFA stands firm
Despite the high-profile criticism, tournament organisers remain confident the surface is fully capable of handling elite competition.
The governing body issued a firm response, citing extensive research and collaboration with leading turf experts over the past five years.
A statement released to the media insisted that all 16 tournament venues remain in excellent condition for player safety and playability.
“While there have been comments regarding the visual appearance of certain areas of the playing surface at NYNJ Stadium, FIFA’s turf management team’s assessment is that every pitch is healthy and performing as intended for elite competition.”
Organisers further clarified that variations in the visual appearance of the grass do not necessarily reflect the underlying quality or health of the pitch.
The stadium will next see action when Norway face Senegal in a crucial group stage encounter.
