In some ways, Copa America is an unofficial dry-run in preparation for World Cup 2026. However the CONMEBOL event has already uncovered a number of points in the US that should be addressed by FIFA earlier than the World Cup kicks off in 2026.
It’s vital to say that the 2024 Copa America, hosted in the US, solely options one-third the variety of groups at World Cup 2026. Copa America contains 16 nations. World Cup 2026, performed principally in the US but in addition in Mexico and Canada, incorporates a document 48 nations.
Let’s undergo the problems one after the other which have been uncovered at this Copa America:
1. A few of the stadium fields are of poor high quality
Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and MetLife Stadium simply outdoors of New York Metropolis have been two factors of focus. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez mentioned the state of the pitch in Atlanta was a catastrophe. Kamal Miller, a defender on the opposing crew, mentioned the sphere at Mercedes-Benz Stadium felt hole. Even Vini Jr has criticized the Copa America pitches, which must be a wake-up name for World Cup organizers.
Likewise, in Argentina’s sport at MetLife Stadium, sand shot up throughout the pitch with the short-term grass on high of the stadium’s turf.
In Los Angeles, Mexico star Edson Alvarez suffered a non-contact damage that has since dominated him out for the remainder of the Copa America. In the event you watch a replay of the incident, you’ll see Alvarez (shirt quantity 4) undergo an damage because of the discipline floor. Luis Advíncula suffered an analogous damage in Copa America at AT&T Stadium.
Eight of the 14 venues in use for the Copa America can even characteristic within the World Cup in 2026. Of these, 5 have used short-term actual grass on high of conventional synthetic turf. Seven stadiums on the World Cup will comply with that development. Nevertheless, if the host United States can’t put together pitches for the Copa America, issues come up for the World Cup in two years.
Value points mar Copa America: World Cup 2026 subsequent?
2. Disappointing attendance at Copa America
Outdoors of the taking part in floor, one of many standout problems with Copa America has been attendance. The mix of pricy journey into the US and outrageous ticket costs has led to comparatively small turnouts at video games. For instance, common ticket costs for the video games high $200 regardless of the video games occurring at stadiums with big capacities.
The 2024 Copa America has yielded management of ticket gross sales to the person stadiums. By comparability, earlier Copa America tournaments have had CONMEBOL management ticket costs. Likewise, UEFA controls ticket costs at Euro 2024, which is why these tickets have been extra inexpensive. Euro 2024 tickets vary from $32 to $215.
Exorbitant ticket costs are one factor, however the greed of the occasion organizers for Copa America takes it to a special stage. Seemingly, they’d want there to be hundreds of empty seats as a substitute of promoting the tickets at an inexpensive worth.
Our concern is that the identical mannequin could also be adopted by FIFA at World Cup 2026. In that case, it’ll worth out the common followers who’re already reeling from inflation all through the US.
It’s not simply the price of tickets that’s impacting followers. One report indicated that parking charges for the USMNT sport towards Bolivia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas have been $65.
Unintended penalties
3. Disappointing atmospheres at video games
Copa America 2024 is being performed concurrently Euro 2024, so we are able to see a comparability between the 2 competitions. The most important distinction off the sphere? Unbelievable match atmospheres at Euro 2024.
Empty seats have been a standard sight all through Copa America 2024. That even contains empty seats at video games that includes well-supported nations corresponding to Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the US.
A part of the problem for Copa America goes again to costly ticket costs. By pricing out the common, hardcore fan, the individuals who can afford these ticket costs have extra wealth (or bank card payments). They might be extra mainstream than hardcore in relation to supporting their favourite nation (or participant).
Nonetheless, as soon as inside a stadium, concessions for American sports activities are far costlier than their European counterparts. A beer at Euro 2024 is round $5, whereas a German sausage is usually round $4. By comparability, a sizzling canine at SoFi Stadium on June 24 was a shocking $25.
4. Lack of public transportation has been a significant problem for followers
Going again to the instance of the USA vs Bolivia sport performed in Texas, these staying within the Dallas space must take a 30-minute experience to AT&T Stadium on some type of public transport.
Even then, the US doesn’t have a robust document of public transport. Lots of the stadiums in use for the World Cup are a ways away from the middle of main cities. There are not any, or only a few high-speed trains. In most locations in the US, the transportation infrastructure can actually solely deal with individuals driving by automobile.
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, is internet hosting seven video games on the World Cup in 2026. That features a quarterfinal matchup. It’s 30 miles, and roughly 50 minutes, from the middle of Boston. The one saving grace is a practice line often called the Patriot Line.
In-stadium issues
5. Climate in the US continues to warmth as much as insufferable ranges
That is extra of a problem when contemplating the wild temperatures in the US. The climate in the US is sizzling in the summertime. Whereas some areas, particularly the West Coast, are cooler than others, lots of the areas internet hosting video games for each the Copa America and the World Cup have blistering temperatures. As an illustration, on Wednesday night time, Kansas Metropolis had hundreds of empty seats at Youngsters’s Mercy Park within the solar as Canada beat Peru.
To be truthful to the 15,625 who confirmed up, temperatures in Kansas Metropolis surpassed 100 levels Fahrenheit. It was sufficient to drive off an assistant referee who fainted within the sizzling and humid situations. Arrowhead Stadium will probably be internet hosting video games within the 2026 World Cup in comparable temperatures.
Water breaks assist the gamers, however the warmth and humidity all through the US are a professional concern for followers in attendance at bigger stadiums.
July 2023 was the most popular month ever on document. In the meantime, for many people in the US, warmth advisories have now change into a brand new norm. It’s not simply warmth both. The altering climate situations are a priority with tornados and hurricanes.
If the organizers of the occasion can’t determine this problem and the remaining that the World Cup in 2026 faces, the event will wrestle.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
Copa América 2024
Listed here are some sources to get you prepared for Copa!
Loading…
