After a disastrous Copa America, is the United States ready to host the World Cup?

Ah yes, the Copa América in the United States… it seemed like a good idea, right? Bringing the charm and passion of South American football to Yankee territory, with all the glamour and infrastructure of the first world. But reality took a huge hit from expectations, and the 2024 edition was a horror show. Not that Argentina’s victory wasn’t brilliant – it was, with Messi and his teammates putting on a show on the pitch. But off the pitch, things were dire.

Starting with the playing fields, which look more like a poorly sewn patchwork than quality fields. Coaches, players, journalists, all are unanimous in their criticism: the state of the fields is pitiful. And it is not surprising. Playing on a bumpy field is like trying to drive a Formula 1 car on a road full of potholes. It is dangerous and it compromises the quality of the show.

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But things didn’t end there. Security, or rather the lack of it, was another chapter. Incidents in two games showed that the organization was far from ideal. In the match between Colombia and Uruguay, players had to go into the stands to defend their families, in a scene that looked more like an action movie than a football match. And if that wasn’t enough, the final at the Hard Rock Stadium turned into total chaos. Fans without tickets managed to get in, and a stampede and general confusion delayed the start of the match. A harbinger of what could be an even bigger disaster in 2026 if nothing changes.

And then there was Shakira’s halftime show in the final. Yes, Shakira is a global star and her show was a spectacle in itself, but the delay in the resumption of play angered many people. Several coaches ended up being suspended for being late for the second half of some games, which only added to the general sense of disorganization.

The big question is: who is responsible for this fiasco? This is not the first time that security problems have been seen at CONMEBOL events. Who does not remember the lamentable scenes that occurred in Brazil during other editions of tournaments? But the United States, accustomed to organizing grandiose spectacles, should have done better. The state of the fields is a problem that cannot be ignored. The responsibility rests heavily on the shoulders of the hosts, who urgently need to rethink their organizational and maintenance concepts.

The most worrying thing is that all this is happening just two years before the World Cup, which the United States will host. The country that is on its way to becoming a new pole of world football has been faced with a harsh reality. If it really wants to establish itself as a reference, it will have to work hard to change the image left by the Copa América. It is a real challenge, but also an opportunity to show that it has learned from its mistakes.

Picture the scene: the 2026 World Cup final, a packed stadium, the whole world watching. Any misstep, any failure, will be magnified a thousand times over. There is no room for chance. The Copa America fiasco should serve as a wake-up call. The United States has a chance to redeem itself, but time is running out.

Every detail counts, from the quality of the turf to the safety of the public. The Copa América showed us how much we still have to improve in this area. But it also showed us that with will and planning, it is possible to reverse this negative image.

Argentina’s brilliant victory cannot overshadow the problems encountered off the pitch. The spectacle was marred by a series of errors that cannot be repeated. Organization is fundamental. Whether for a continental tournament or for the biggest competition on the planet.