Copy Edited by Aisha Rana

With the Copa America coming to an end with Lionel Messi’s Argentina winning 1-0 against James Rodriquez’s Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, it has left many questions and concerns on whether the United States is ready for the World Cup in 2026. 

There have already been numerous objections from soccer fans against the Copa America and World Cup being held in the United States, largely due to the material that the athletes would be playing on. Internationally, soccer is played on grass rather than turf. In the United States, however, the soccer players would have to play on football fields such as the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and AT&T Stadium in Texas. In order to accommodate their guest players, the stadiums had to remove the turf and replace it with grass. However, there were issues with the grass field being very lumpy and uneven, and players and coaches began to speak out about the pitch’s quality. 

It’s unclear why all of the stadiums haven’t already installed grass for MLS (Major League Soccer) given that everyone else in the world plays on grass. Lionel Scaloni, Argentina’s coach, mentioned the pitch’s poor state during the group stage game against Canada. Considering that this isn’t the first time that players have complained about the quality of pitches in the country, there should be no excuse for stadiums to not provide the highest pitch quality possible. There should be no reason for a professional soccer player, playing the biggest games of their life and representing their entire nation, to play on a pitch with bumps that hinder their performance. I really hope they get this fixed during the 2026 World Cup, especially since it is arguably the biggest tournament in the world. 

Now, a new issue was presented during the Copa America which in turn would be a huge concern for the World Cup as well — the security in the stadiums. The end of the Colombia vs Uruguay Copa America semi-final game had ended in disaster. Fans from both sides started to fight once the game was over, later pulling in the families of the Uruguayan players. Uruguayan player Darwin Nuñez went into the stands and began a whole fist fight with the Colombian fans, protecting his family.

Nuñez’s dangerous intervention to fight for his family should not have been needed. Although brawls against rival fans may be common among South American football fans, I expected a better response from security or the organization. When I watch Premier League (English League) games, I notice a lot of security in the stands and around the pitch; where was security when all of this occurred?  

Not only that, but the Copa America Final had to be pushed back an hour because of all the fans who were trying to get in without having a ticket. A large number of attendees were breaking through and climbing the gates, entering the vents, and bursting into the stadium doors to witness the game.

Again, I believe this is a security issue. Knowing that this is a major game, they were certainly well aware that there would be plenty of fans trying to come watch. Yet, there was no order or any form of organization from the stadium at all. You begin to wonder whether you would be safe attending a soccer event in the United States. 

Sergio Luna, junior from the Townsend Harris soccer team, mentioned how he doubts that the United States is World Cup ready. “Security management is terrible as we also saw from the Copa America Final. Everyone was reckless and people who didn’t even have tickets made it into the stadium because there were so many people jumping fences and sneaking inside. People lost money and an opportunity to watch a historic game.”

The stadiums, the United States, and FIFA need to step up for the 2026 World Cup in order for the tournament to go smoothly and safely. Townsend Harris Students, among thousands of other fans, should get to experience the World Cup Final at the MetLife Stadium without having to be concerned about a potential violent outbreak or worry about inadequate pitches where professional players could potentially injure themselves while playing.