Fifa’s Arsene Wenger promises better US pitch quality for 2026 World Cup
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Football pitches in the US are not up to the standard that European clubs are used to, said Fifa global football development chief Arsene Wenger.
PHOTO: AFP
- Arsene Wenger admits Club World Cup pitch quality in the US is substandard for European clubs.
- Coaches criticise dry, bouncy pitches, with PSG's coach comparing the ball's bounce to "a rabbit".
- Fifa plans to improve pitch quality for the 2026 World Cup, addressing concerns about "world-class facilities".
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MIAMI - Fifa's global football development chief Arsene Wenger acknowledged that the quality of pitches hosting Club World Cup matches in the US was not good enough, but insisted it would be better when the country co-hosts the 2026 World Cup.
The pitches, often very dry and sprinkled with water during cooling breaks or at halftime, have been widely criticised, mainly by coaches and players of the European teams taking part.
“I’ve been personally on the pitch at Orlando,” former Arsenal manager Wenger said on June 28.
“It’s not at the level that the European clubs are used to because it’s not perfect, but that will be rectified for the World Cup next year.”
Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique raised the issue early in the expanded Club World Cup tournament.
“The ball bounces like a rabbit,” Luis Enrique said after his team’s opening 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
“Today, for example, the field used to be artificial turf, and now it’s natural grass laid over it, which means it has to be watered manually. It’s a big problem for the way we play.”
“Fifa really needs to take this seriously. Not just the stadium fields but also the training pitches. If we’re calling this the best club tournament in the world, it should have world‑class facilities. I can’t imagine an NBA game played on a court full of holes.” REUTERS
