In many ways, Copa America is an unofficial dry-run in preparation for World Cup 2026. But the CONMEBOL tournament has already exposed several issues in the United States that need to be addressed by FIFA before the World Cup kicks off in 2026.
It’s important to mention that the 2024 Copa America, hosted in the United States, only features one-third the number of teams at World Cup 2026. Copa America includes 16 nations. World Cup 2026, played mostly in the United States but also in Mexico and Canada, features a record 48 nations.
Let’s go through the issues one by one that have been exposed at this Copa America:
1. Some of the stadium fields are of poor quality
Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and MetLife Stadium just outside of New York City have been two points of focus. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said the state of the pitch in Atlanta was a disaster. Kamal Miller, a defender on the opposing team, said the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium felt hollow. Even Vini Jr has criticized the Copa America pitches, which should be a wake-up call for World Cup organizers.
Likewise, in Argentina’s game at MetLife Stadium, sand shot up across the pitch with the temporary grass on top of the stadium’s turf.
In Los Angeles, Mexico star Edson Alvarez suffered a non-contact injury that has since ruled him out for the rest of the Copa America. If you watch a replay of the incident, you’ll see Alvarez (shirt number four) suffer an injury due to the field surface. Luis Advíncula suffered a similar injury in Copa America at AT&T Stadium.
Eight of the 14 venues in use for the Copa America will also feature in the World Cup in 2026. Of those, five have used temporary real grass on top of traditional artificial turf. Seven stadiums at the World Cup will follow that trend. However, if the host United States can’t prepare pitches for the Copa America, concerns arise for the World Cup in two years.
2. Disappointing attendance at Copa America
Outside of the playing surface, one of the standout issues of Copa America has been attendance. The combination of expensive travel into the United States and outrageous ticket prices has led to relatively small turnouts at games. For example, average ticket prices for the games top $200 despite the games happening at stadiums with giant capacities.
The 2024 Copa America has yielded control of ticket sales to the individual stadiums. By comparison, previous Copa America tournaments have had CONMEBOL control ticket prices. Likewise, UEFA controls ticket prices at Euro 2024, which is why those tickets have been more affordable. Euro 2024 tickets range from $32 to $215.
Exorbitant ticket prices are one thing, but the greed of the event organizers for Copa America takes it to a different level. Seemingly, they’d prefer there to be thousands of empty seats instead of selling the tickets at an affordable price.
Our concern is that the same model may be adopted by FIFA at World Cup 2026. If so, it’ll price out the average fans who are already reeling from inflation throughout the United States.
It’s not just the cost of tickets that is impacting fans. One report indicated that parking fees for the USMNT game against Bolivia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas were $65.
3. Disappointing atmospheres at games
Copa America 2024 is being played at the same time as Euro 2024, so we can see a comparison between the two competitions. The biggest difference off the field? Incredible match atmospheres at Euro 2024.
Empty seats have been a common sight throughout Copa America 2024. That even includes empty seats at games featuring well-supported nations such as Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States.
Part of the issue for Copa America goes back to expensive ticket prices. By pricing out the average, hardcore fan, the people who can afford those ticket prices have more wealth (or credit card bills). They may be more mainstream than hardcore when it comes to supporting their favorite nation (or player).
Still, once inside a stadium, concessions for American sports are far more expensive than their European counterparts. A beer at Euro 2024 is around $5, while a German sausage is generally around $4. By comparison, a hot dog at SoFi Stadium on June 24 was a stunning $25.
4. Lack of public transportation has been a major issue for fans
Going back to the example of the USA vs Bolivia game played in Texas, those staying in the Dallas area would have to take a 30-minute ride to AT&T Stadium on some form of public transport.
Even then, the United States does not have a strong record of public transport. Many of the stadiums in use for the World Cup are some distance away from the center of major cities. There are no, or very few high-speed trains. In most places in the United States, the transportation infrastructure can really only handle people driving by car.
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, is hosting seven games at the World Cup in 2026. That includes a quarterfinal matchup. It is 30 miles, and roughly 50 minutes, from the center of Boston. The one saving grace is a train line known as the Patriot Line.
5. Weather in the United States continues to heat up to unbearable levels
This is more of an issue when considering the wild temperatures in the United States. The weather in the United States is hot in the summer. While some areas, namely the West Coast, are cooler than others, many of the locations hosting games for both the Copa America and the World Cup have blistering temperatures. For instance, on Wednesday night, Kansas City had thousands of empty seats at Children’s Mercy Park in the sun as Canada beat Peru.
To be fair to the 15,625 who showed up, temperatures in Kansas City surpassed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It was enough to force off an assistant referee who fainted in the hot and humid conditions. Arrowhead Stadium will be hosting games in the 2026 World Cup in similar temperatures.
Water breaks help the players, but the heat and humidity throughout the United States are a legitimate concern for fans in attendance at larger stadiums.
July 2023 was the hottest month ever on record. Meanwhile, for many of us in the United States, heat advisories have now become a new norm. It’s not just heat either. The changing weather conditions are a concern with tornados and hurricanes.
If the organizers of the event cannot figure out this issue and the rest that the World Cup in 2026 faces, the tournament will struggle.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
