Since the beginning of this America Cup, one of the recurring complaints from coaches and footballers is the state of the fields, both for training and for matches. However, Ricardo Gareca He launched a phrase about the dimensions of the fields that few had taken into account, since he was another of those who shouted to heaven for this reason.
“They are not the best scenarios beyond the intention. I see that the players have problems and that these problems are in the majority of the games. The field is dry, it is small in size and there are some unevenness as a result of accommodating the field for the Cup,” said Tigre about the Metlife, where tomorrow the Argentine national team will face Chili.
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But all this has an explanation. According to article No. 41 of the competition regulations, the fields have to be 100×64, unlike what was for the World Cup in Qatar, which was 105×68. This has to do with the fact that most of the chosen fields are American football fields, where only NFL games are played, whose dimensions are 109.7×48.8.
Given this, and taking into account that it is difficult to extend the width of these playing fields up to 68 meters, the organization made an exception so that they can play without problems in these stadiums with capacities that exceed 80 thousand spectators, such as MetLife Stadium , where Uruguay will also play Bolivia (on June 27, in Group C) and one of the semifinals (on July 9).
What do the FIFA regulations say? That for international matches the playing fields must be between 64 and 75 meters wide, and between 100 and 110 meters long. In other words, Conmebol adopted the essential minimum for the 2024 Copa América in the United States.
On the other hand, in an anonymous survey conducted by The Athletic in November 2023, NFL players voted it as the worst field in the league, due to the serious injuries suffered by several figures, including Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Jets, who tore his Achilles tendon. To make matters worse, in recent weeks the imposing stadium has also been the site of several concerts, such as those of George Strait on June 8 and the Rolling Stones on May 23 and 26.
