England will conclude their group stage against Panama at the MetLife Stadium but FIFA are facing growing calls for change following criticism.14:36, 25 Jun 2026The venue for England's final World Cup group-stage match against Panama has received fresh criticism, with Simon Jordan suggesting it's not fit for use in a brutal attack. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has faced scrutiny, with World Cup fans criticising FIFA's decision to stage the final at the 82,500-seater stadium and calling for it to be held elsewhere.‌Fans have taken aim at FIFA for staging the showpiece while the talkSPORT co-host revealed his 'hideous experience' getting to and from the home of American Football juggernauts, the New York Giants and the New York Jets. Instead, the governing body has faced growing demands for the final to be held at the Mexico City Stadium, also known as the Azteca, in Mexico.‌Traditionally, turf is the surface that the National Football League (NFL) players play on, but for the landmark competition, natural grass has been installed before returning to the synthetic surface for the regular NFL season.‌"I thought it was a hideous experience going to MetLife," Jordan said. "A hideous experience and not one that I would care to repeat.Obviously, the Qatar World Cup was a different dynamic, so it is unfair to compare it to that. Walking onto the footprint of the MetLife and getting out of that, and taking the best part of an hour to come out of the footprint, was hideous."The idea that you guys have got it right, in terms of getting people in and out of the stadium, you might have got that transit right because New Jersey put the prices up, as they should. But the idea that it was enjoyable, a reflective of an elite competition is hideous."‌Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!Former Scotland international Ally McCoist has also voiced his disagreement at the New Jersey stadium playing host to the final.Instead, the 63-year-old waxed lyrical over the world famous Azteca Stadium and its credentials to host the final. He said: "They have obviously had a bit of work done in the stadium (Azteca), but you could close your eyes, open them, and you can still see Rivellino crossing that ball for Pele.‌"You can still see Diego Maradona. You can just smell it. It was fantastic. By the way, that is where the final should be."Arsenal defender William Saliba will be hoping that his France side will be in the final on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium. But he was honest in his assessment regarding the playing surface at the NFL venue after playing there in Les Bleus' 3-1 win over Senegal in their group opener.‌He said: “I must admit I was a bit surprised by the state of the pitch for the first match in New York. 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." Saliba's words serve as a warning for England, who will play on the pitch against Panama this Saturday.‌The MetLife Stadium will have played host to five group stage matches by the time the knockout stages come around. It will host two matches before the final, including the Round of 32 match, in which France are set to qualify, against the third-placed team from Groups C, D, F, G or H, and a Round of 16 encounter before the final.However, supporters have been outspoken against the decision to host the final at the stadium and have voiced their anger on social media. One compared the Azteca to the MetLife, describing the latter as a 'parking lot'. They tweeted: "They really chose a parking lot to host the final instead of this holy football temple."Another added: "World Cup Final should have been at el Azteca not that trash a** MetLife."Article continues belowContent cannot be displayed without consent