MetLife Stadium's turf, according to Dortmund coach Niko Kovač, is better suited for golf than soccer play.
In the heat of the World Cup, Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac has voiced his concerns about the impact of high temperatures on the game. During a recent visit to Cincinnati for the Club World Cup, Kovac experienced temperatures of around 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), a condition he found challenging for players.
Kovac, who has previously played twice in Cincinnati with kick-off times at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., believes that adjusting kick-off times to later in the day could help reduce the intensity of the heat, allowing for more dynamic and intense football[1].
The issue of high temperatures is not unique to Cincinnati, as similar temperatures or higher are expected for next year's World Cup in the U.S. Most World Cup venues in the U.S. do not have roofs or air-conditioning, making the heat a significant factor during matches.
Interestingly, during the 1994 World Cup, 28 out of 52 matches had kick-off times from noon to 2 p.m. EDT. Kovac's suggestion for later kick-off times could potentially address this issue, ensuring more comfortable conditions for both players and spectators[3].
It is worth noting that the kickoff times for next year's World Cup tournament are yet to be set, with the draw scheduled for December. The exact times and locations of the matches are eagerly awaited by football fans around the world[2].
[1] Source: https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/niko-kovac-wants-later-world-cup-kick-off-times-to-help-players-cope-with/1r4k86q84o4211ef7fk39f92k [2] Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-worldcup-us-schedule/fifa-to-announce-world-cup-2026-schedule-after-december-draw-idUSKBN2HQ25L [3] Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/world-cup/2014/story/_/id/11132841/world-cup-2014-schedule-kickoff-times-impact-performance-players
Kovac's proposal for later kick-off times in the World Cup may also be beneficial for the Champions League and other European leagues, as players could potentially perform better in cooler conditions. The heat problem is not confined to the World Cup, as similar temperatures are expected in the Champions League and other tournaments where open-air stadiums lack roofs or air-conditioning.
