One of the Premier League’s top players has already criticised the pitch at MetLife Stadium ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Chelsea and England defender Reece James played multiple games at MetLife Stadium in the Club World Cup last summer.
The Blues won the tournament following a 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final, but James still shared some criticism.
The right-back was not impressed with the pitch and admitted he hoped it would be different for the upcoming World Cup.
What Reece James said about MetLife Stadium a year before the World Cup
Reece James previously described the pitches in the United States as “not so good” during the Club World Cup.
“The venue is top, the pitches are not so good,” he told reporters in New Jersey. “Hopefully there’s some changes for the World Cup next year.”
James then explained why the pitches in the USA did not feel the same as in Europe, although he did not have a solution.
“I don’t know [how to improve them],” he added. “There’s astro underneath and maybe grass on top. It’s not the best for the body, for the joints, for the muscles.
“You lot will see higher quality games and higher quality football if we played on surfaces that we play on in Europe.”
The Chelsea captain was not the only player to complain about the pitches, as Porto star Ze Pedro made similar comments.
“I do feel like the pitch caused us to be a bit imprecise,” Pedro said. “This was particularly when we wanted to accelerate the game. Some mistakes happened [as a result].”
Thankfully, MetLife Stadium has made an effort to improve its pitch by implementing a different surface for the World Cup.
Whereas a temporary pitch was installed on top of the existing turf last summer, the World Cup surface will be much deeper.
A thick layer of sand beneath the Bermuda-grass pitch should prevent the ‘deadened bounce’ players complained about.
Meanwhile, the groundsmen expect their pitch to show less noticeable wear at the World Cup than at the Club World Cup.
MetLife Stadium is set to host five group stage matches and several knockout games, including the World Cup final.
The venue will soon come under scrutiny from the world’s best players, and hopefully, the feedback will be positive.
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