Rabiot criticizes MetLife Stadium pitch quality ahead of World Cup 2026

France midfielder Adrien Rabiot calls the temporary World Cup pitch at MetLife Stadium 'more like an artificial surface' after his team's victory.

France's opening win France began their World Cup 2026 campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Tuesday. The venue also hosts NFL teams the New York Giants and Jets. Known as MetLife Stadium, it will stage England's last group match against Panama on June 27 and the World Cup final on July 19. ## Rabiot's pitch critique France midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who earned 60 caps for his country, voiced strong concerns about the pitch after playing the full 90 minutes. 'The pitch.. I don't even know if you can call it that. It felt more like an artificial surface - quite hard and quite rigid,' he stated after the game. He also provided an assist for Bradley Barcola's second goal during the match. ## Brazil player echoes concerns Brazil forward Vinicius Junior raised similar issues after his team's 1-1 draw with Morocco in their opening fixture. 'In the second half, with the heat, the pitch dries out very quickly. The game becomes very sluggish and we can't get into our rhythm,' he explained. ## Stadium's artificial turf reputation MetLife Stadium has a well-documented history of problems with its artificial surface, which has led to multiple serious injuries among NFL players. Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament there in September 2025, adding to the stadium's notorious 'MetLife curse'. ## Temporary grass pitches across venues A temporary grass pitch was installed at MetLife Stadium specifically for the World Cup, replacing its usual artificial turf. Eight such temporary pitches have been set up across 16 host venues, including Boston Stadium where Scotland won 1-0 against Haiti in their opening match. Scotland will face Morocco at the same venue on Friday at 23:00 BST. ## Upcoming matches at MetLife After France's win, Senegal will play Norway at MetLife Stadium next on June 22. The stadium's World Cup schedule includes England's final group game and the tournament final, with a total capacity of 78,576 spectators.