These years Copa America 2024 It will be staged in the United States with matches being staged at fourteen venues across the country with organizers using the event and next year the FIFA Club Cup will be expanded to 32 teams as pre-tournament test grounds. World Cup 2026.
After just ten matches, a series of complaints have already been directed to the organizing committee by fans and members of the media Even players expressed concerns about the logistics surrounding the tournament.
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Bad playgrounds
The condition of many stadiums is one of the major complaints of players and coaches, and Argentine Lionel Scaloni is among the most vocal about this.
Argentina opened the tournament last Thursday with a 2-0 victory over Canada, and after his team's victory, Scaloni expressed his dissatisfaction with the pitch. Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta Saying that it is not suitable for this level of competition.
The stadium, which hosts matches for Major League Soccer team Atlanta United and the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, usually has an artificial pitch but a temporary grass surface was installed ahead of the tournament's opening match.
“It's not good for the show. It's not an excuse; The pitch is beautiful and the artificial turf should be amazing, but with today's grass it is not suitable for this type of player, the head coach stated.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez echoed his coach's sentiments, telling TyC Sports: “Coming here against strong Canada, with good strikers and in a disastrous stadium made it a bit difficult for us,” adding, “We have to improve in this aspect.” Otherwise, the Copa America will always be at a lower level than the European Championship.
The pitch in Dallas was also criticized, with Chile coach Ricardo Garcia and Peruvian coach Jorge Fossati dissatisfied with the pitch. Peru captain Luis Advincula was forced to leave the match early after suffering an Achilles injury, which Fossati blamed on the turf. “I realize this field is grass today, but it's not regular grass,” Fossati said.
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Extreme heat
There was a lot of anxiety during Peru's match against Canada after one of the matches The referees fainted in the final moments of the first half. The Canadian team was pressing as time passed when the cameras focused on a member of the refereeing crew lying on the field in a state of unconsciousness.
Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was the first to notice the assistant referee's plight, and immediately went to help him. The medical staff were called to the stadium and the required attention was quickly provided.
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The official was forced to leave on a stretcher amid the applause of the crowd present Children's Mercy Park is located in Kansas City. Conditions during the first half were extremely hot which started at 5pm ET, with the thermometer reading 90°F / 32°C.
The competition coincided with the first heatwave of the season, with CONMEBOL introducing mandatory cooling-off breaks when temperatures reach 86°F/30°C.
Lack of atmosphere
Speaking to the media recently, Weston McKennie, Juventus and United States national team player He bemoaned playing in the United States.
He said: “It's frustrating, especially as a player. You know, when you come to America, you play in a stadium that holds 70,000 people but 25,000 people turn up. You don't really have an atmosphere. Then you're playing on a soccer field, with patchy, stretched grass that breaks every step you take. “It's frustrating.”
He added: “If you look at the Euros, they are all playing on great pitches, great grass, soccer-specific pitches, soccer-specific pitches, and you will see the quality of the soccer.”
Geography and ticket prices are cited for many of the stadium seating slots in the tournament so far at an average price Copa America ticketBy multiple estimates it costs a fan more than $200, and even the cheapest seats at many Copa matches cost more than $100.
For the tournament, CONMEBOL handed over the logistics (and prices) of tickets to Ticketmaster with many feeling that the company overpriced the tournament putting it out of reach for families and potential attendees.
