FIFA, MetLife Stadium, Vinicius Junior and Adrien Rabiot
21 June 2026
Players and coaches have raised concerns about the MetLife Stadium pitch, the venue due to host the World Cup final on 19 July. Vinicius Junior and Adrien Rabiot described the surface as dry, hard and difficult to play on.
FIFA insists all 16 tournament pitches are safe and performing well, but MetLife has already drawn scrutiny after Brazil-Morocco and France-Senegal. Staff are managing moisture, firmness and wear before six more matches, including the final and halftime show.