Need to knowEngland will face Panama in the FIFA World Cup on June 27 and MetLife Stadium will host the game12:27, 22 Jun 2026Updated 12:28, 22 Jun 2026England are scheduled to face Panama at the MetLife Stadium this weekend(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)Everything you need to know about the MetLife Stadium pitch ahead of England vs Panama in the World Cup group stages later this week…England and Panama will go head-to-head in each of the country’s final Group L matches at the World Cup. The game will take place at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and the pitch at the stadium has faced some criticism during the early days of the tournament.The pitch at MetLife Stadium, renamed New York New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup, has faced heavy scrutiny from players and managers during the opening week of the tournament. France defender William Saliba openly criticised the surface after his side's victory over Senegal.“I must admit I was a bit surprised by the state of the pitch for the first match in New York,” Saliba told reporters. “They even asked us whether we wanted to play with moulded studs or screwed-in studs, which is unusual as I only play with screwed-in studs, being a defender. In the end, I preferred to play with screwed-in studs, but it’s clear the pitch was more like artificial turf and it was very hard, but that was that. Once we’re there, we’ve got no choice. We have to play, and it’s the same pitch for both teams. But it’s clear the pitch wasn’t great.”France manager Didier Deschamps also commented on the playing surface at the stadium. “We have played in the heat (at MetLife) so, if there is some rain, good, because the grass will be faster and the quality will be better, much better than the one in New York,” Deschamps said in a press conference, via The Athletic. “The pitch in New York was really tough, it took a lot out of the players’ muscles.”In response to the growing criticism, FIFA released an official statement defending their years of preparation to get the tournament ready for the World Cup. “FIFA has invested more than five years in meticulous and collaborative research, testing and innovation, working closely with leading turf experts, stadium operators and football stakeholders, to deliver the best possible playing surfaces for players,” FIFA said in a statement to The Athletic.The statement continued: “The pitches at all 16 FIFA World Cup 2026 stadiums remain in excellent condition from both a playability and player safety perspective. 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. Variations in the appearance of some surfaces, whether on television or in person, do not necessarily reflect the quality, health or playability of the pitch.”Disgruntled fans took to social media to criticise the condition of the pitch at the stadium. One fan wrote: "No soul. Give me a crumbling San Siro any day,” while another added: “This is literally one of the worst stadiums in the US. A concrete cave.”One fan, among many asking for the final to be moved to another ground, said: "The US has so many cool new stadiums, and they chose the least interesting option."