The United States of America is no stranger to sports fanaticism, considering the NBA and NFL. However, now the country is regularly hosting international sports events. In the recent past, the country hosted the T20 World Cup of Cricket. Right after that, they hosted the Copa America Championship, which culminated in Argentina being crowned as champions after a 1-0 win over Columbia.
Now, they are set to host the biggest sporting event in the world: The 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, the recently concluded Copa America Championship exposed many holes in the United States’ ability to host soccer tournaments. Some of the incidents posed a threat not only to the players on the pitch but also to their families watching.
Problem numero Uno: Even Messi isn’t safe from US pitches
Argentina won their second Copa America Championship in a row. Unfortunately, they had to do it without their talisman, Lionel Messi. The mercurial footballer was subbed off in the 64th minute of the finals against Columbia. This was after he was seen taking an unchallenged tumble while chasing down an opposition player. The resulting injury not only forced him out of the game but also resulted in him breaking down in tears on the bench.
The injury was a result of dangerous pitch conditions, which have been prevalent throughout the tournament. CONMEBOL, the governing body responsible for organizing the event had selected 14 stadiums for the Copa America Championship. However, these were makeshift pitches previously used for MLB and NFL games. Moreover, six of the fourteen stadiums utilized artificial turf, while 8 used natural grass.
Artificial turfs are notorious for players suffering career-ending ligament injuries in the past. This was evident in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Canada at the Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to kick off the tournament. Much of the same transpired well into the finals where Messi suffered his injury. Players and coaches alike complained of the bumpy and dangerous pitches. Now, with the World Cup looming, will the United States address this concern and come up with football-specific venues?
Players vs. Spectators
The semi-final match between Uruguay and Columbia witnessed a horrifying incident. In the aftermath of Uruguay’s loss, their players were seen entering into a brawl with the crowd. This was after some Columbian fans were seen threatening the families of the Uruguayan players. As such, the players were left with no choice but to enter the stands themselves and escort their loved ones to safety.
In the commotion, a few players were seen throwing punches at the Columbian supporters. The situation could have turned dire. This is because 90% of the 70,000 fans in attendance at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina were Columbia supporters. Many players criticized the organizers for the lack of security.
This trend was unfortunately carried onto the Finals in Miami on Sunday. Many unruly and ticketless fans were seen entering the stadium. The authorities feared a stampede and as such opened the gates for everyone. Later, security tried to catch ticketless fans and threw them out of the stadium the best they could. This resulted in the game being delayed by more than 30 minutes.
The half-time show is just as anticipated as any Superbowl in America. However, soccer fans are not used to such extravagant events. Especially, because the half-time is supposed to last for only 15 minutes before the play resumes. Unfortunately, this was not the case in the Copa America Finals as Shakira performed an elaborate routine during the halftime show.
This lasted for more than 25 minutes, delaying the use of sprinklers during halftime. As a result, the artificial turf was still wet when the players entered for the second half. This was doubly dangerous considering the reputation of the bumpy artificial turf. In fact, in the 65th minute of the second half, Messi took his game-ending tumble. So the question arises? Was the half-time show really necessary? Many soccer fans would think not.
Fear among foreigners
Fans from all over the world are expected to enter the United States for the World Cup. However, many will be concerned after the recent events in the country. This is limited not only to unsafe pitch and stadium conditions but also to player and spectator security off the pitch.
During the brawl between Uruguayan players and Columbian supporters, many players complained of a lack of security in the stadium. Moreover, the recent attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life would raise further concerns among incoming fans.
Can the US of A fix up before the World Cup?
The US is one of the richest nations on the planet. Therefore, it should find the resources necessary to organize such an event. They have a year and a half to get their act together. This recent tournament was a test run for the real thing.
As such, they are more than aware of their shortcomings. The biggest of them is the lack of football-specific venues with real grass turfs that would do justice to the world-class players. These fields not only ensure safety but are also inseparable from quality football. Therefore, anything less than exemplary will again be highlighted in the coming tournament.
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