South America’s football governing body, CONMEBOL, has assured fans that the playing surface at Hard Rock Stadium will be in top shape for the Copa America final on July 14. This reassurance comes after complaints arose during the group stage regarding the grass quality at other venues hosting the tournament.
The grass surface at the Miami Gardens stadium, home to the NFL’s Dolphins, was removed on Sunday to make way for a July 6 concert featuring Colombian artist Feid. Installation of a new grass surface will commence on July 8 and is expected to be completed four days before the final of South America’s championship.
“We hope it is in excellent condition,” Maristela Kuhn, agricultural engineer of the South American Football Confederation and coordinator of the Copa America 2024 grass project, said Monday. “The same condition as it was for the first match.” Hard Rock Stadium hosted two first-round matches, with Uruguay defeating Panama 3-1 on June 23 and Argentina edging Peru 2-0 on Saturday.
Kuhn, speaking to The Associated Press following a press conference where CONMEBOL officials explained Miami’s unique grass situation, emphasized that the switch was planned before the tournament’s start due to the concert.
Complaints regarding grass quality arose after the tournament’s opening match in Atlanta, where defending champions Argentina defeated Canada at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Both teams criticized the grass field, which replaced the stadium’s usual artificial turf. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez described the field as a “disaster,” while Canada defender Kamal Miller deemed it “hollow.”
Similar concerns were voiced after Brazil’s 4-1 victory over Paraguay at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior lamented the tournament’s consistently challenging pitches. However, CONMEBOL officials attributed these complaints to the grass’ visual appearance, claiming that the ends of the grass clumps were visible in some areas, but there were no differences in level.
Further criticism came from the match held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where brown patches were visible along the sideline. “Aesthetics can give the wrong perception,” stated Frederico Nantes, director of CONMEBOL competitions and operations. He emphasized that tests were conducted before and after games to assess the field’s quality and the ball’s movement and impact, with all tests yielding positive results.
CONMEBOL officials assured that the issues with the grass in Atlanta were resolved by the second match. The visible joints of the grass had disappeared, and as the appearance improved, the criticisms ceased.
The Miami stadium maintains a grass surface throughout the NFL season, but six of the 14 stadiums used for the Copa America have temporary grass pitches installed over artificial surfaces. These fields are also slightly smaller than the international standard, measuring 100 by 64 meters (109 by 70 yards) instead of the typical 105 by 68 meters (115 by 74 yards).
Eight of the stadiums are slated to host the 2026 World Cup, and renovations are planned to accommodate the larger fields required for the event. FIFA usually takes control of these stadiums approximately one month in advance of the World Cup.
CONMEBOL officials highlighted the rigorous process of installing the temporary pitches for Copa America, which commenced a year prior to the tournament. Grass grown in specially selected nurseries is glued to plastic layers, which are then adhered to the field’s surface. This specialized grass is transported in trucks and installed through a meticulous process that accounts for every detail, including watering, sunlight exposure, and even the trucks’ movement across the field.
The Copa America group stage matches have attracted nearly a million spectators, with Argentina’s match against Chile at MetLife Stadium, the 2026 World Cup final venue, drawing a crowd of 81,106. Forty percent of the group stage matches were sold out, showcasing the tournament’s popularity.
