Home > Sports > Football

Dortmund coach Niko Kova says MetLife Stadium field more suited to golf than to football

Published: 06 Jul. 2025, 13:58

Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac waits for the beginning of the Club World Cup quarterfinal match against Real Madrid in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 5. [AP/YONHAP]

In the eyes of Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovac, the MetLife Stadium field was better suited for a round of golf than a match at the Club World Cup.

And the New York area's summer heat also was inappropriate for high-level football.

“It’s more a golf green, so you can putt here,” Kovac said after Saturday's 3-2 quarterfinal loss to Real Madrid. “It’s very short. But this is not the grass we are used to playing on in the Bundesliga and also in the other two stadiums.”

Dortmund played its opening group match at MetLife, the site of the Club World Cup semifinals and championship, and of next year's World Cup final. The German team played two matches at Cincinnati, Ohio's TQL Stadium and its round of 16 game at Atlanta, Georgia's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“As you saw, the watering wasn’t good enough, I would say, because you don’t have the devices for that.” Kovac said. “When it’s too dry, it’s unbelievable. It's sticking.”

On a sunny afternoon, the temperature at the 3 p.m. kickoff was 86 degrees Fahrenheit in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Similar temperatures or higher are expected for next year's World Cup, where 11 venues are in the United States, and most do not have roofs or air conditioning.

During the 1994 World Cup, 28 of 52 matches had kickoff times from noon to 2 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, better for European viewing. Kickoff times for next year's 104-game tournament are likely to be set after the draw in December.

“We played two times in Cincinnati. The first time it was 12 o’clock. The second time it was 3 p.m., and the pitch, we had temperatures of around about 45 degrees [Celsius] (113 degrees Fahrenheit),” Kovac said. “When the temperature is 45 degrees, this is not amazing. This is very hard for someone, and the players, they must play these games.

“Today, we had 35 degrees. It’s also not much better, to be honest. But, O.K., this a tournament we need to play. And I would suggest — my suggestion, that the kickoff time will be a little later. ... So the intensity is also much higher. And as a supporter, as a spectator, you would like to see intensive, aggressive, up-and-down football. So when it’s too hot, then it’s difficult to play this kind of football.”

AP