The 2026 FIFA World Cup has made the pitch at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey a central storyline, with players from multiple national teams publicly criticizing the playing surface and raising questions about whether the venue can hold up through the tournament’s biggest remaining matches, including the final on July 19.
What players are actually saying
France midfielder Adrien Rabiot was among the first to go public with his frustrations, describing the MetLife pitch as hard and rigid following France’s match against Senegal on June 17.
Brazil’s Vinicius Junior raised a specific problem after Brazil faced Morocco: the surface dries out quickly, particularly in the second half of games.
MetLife Stadium is primarily a football venue hosting the New York Giants and New York Jets during the NFL season, which means its default surface is artificial turf. For the World Cup, a hybrid grass pitch with automated irrigation was installed specifically for the tournament. Based on player feedback, the second-half drying issue suggests either the system isn’t running during matches or it can’t keep up with evaporation rates on hot days.
