Since the start of the Copa América 2024, there have been numerous complaints about the quality of the turf at the stadiums. While most of the negative comments came after the tournament's initial matches, the concerns and unease remain. To make matters worse, it turns out that one of the most important stadiums will host... a concert during the Copa América.

Time for colombian rhythms

The venue in question is Hard Rock Stadium, where the tournament's final will be held on July 14. So far, two Copa América 2024 matches have been played at the stadium in Miami: Uruguay vs. Panama and Argentina vs. Perú. Now, the stadium will be a musical stage for Colombian artist Feid, whose concert is scheduled for July 6.

As a result, the turf at the Dolphins' stadium has been removed. Installation of a new grass surface will begin on July 8 and is expected to be completed four days before the final. Naturally, this situation raises concerns. We hope it will be in excellent condition, just as it was during the first match, said Maristela Kuhn, an agronomist with the South American Football Confederation and coordinator of turf preparations for the tournament, as quoted by AP News. Kuhn explained to The Associated Press that the stadium in Miami will be the only venue where the turf will be replaced during the tournament.

© Miami Dolphins

Organizers defend against criticism

After defending champions Argentina defeated Canada in the opening match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, both teams criticized the grass pitch that replaced the usual artificial turf. Argentina's goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez called the pitch a disaster. A few days later, Canadian defender Kamal Miller said it felt empty.

Recently, complaints also targeted another venue – Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. After Brazil's victory over Paraguay, Vinícius Júnior said that the Copa América tournament is always difficult due to the pitches. CONMEBOL representatives stated that these complaints were due to the visual appearance of the turf. In some parts of the field, clumps of grass were visible, but there were no differences in their condition, officials said. At MetLife Stadium, brown patches were visible along the sideline.

Esthetics can give a bad impression, said Frederico Nantes, director of competitions. He explained that tests were conducted before and after matches to assess the pitch and how the ball moved and struck. All yielded good results. During the second match in Atlanta, the grass seams were no longer visible, and since the appearance improved, no one said anything about the stadium, Kuhn stated emphatically.

© Miami Dolphins