Why was the Hard Rock Stadium where Messi played with Inter Miami vs. Al Ahly in such poor condition?

In the lead-up to the start of the Club World Cup—kicked off by Inter Miami and Al Ahly—much of the conversation focused on the state of the pitch. During the last edition of the Copa América, several stadiums had already drawn criticism due to poor turf conditions.

Javier Mascherano didn’t shy away from the controversy and addressed the issue, though he made it clear he trusted the organizers to prepare quality fields for a tournament featuring the world’s best players.

Just days before the match, on Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7, the Hard Rock Stadium hosted Shakira’s “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour.” As a result, the entire field had to be removed and reinstalled, and it didn’t return to ideal conditions. Several turf panels appeared uneven or overlapped.

Visibly, the surface was far from perfect, raising concerns among players and coaches—many of whom were already frustrated by the lack of rest after a hectic season that had started in June 2024 with both the Copa América and the UEFA Euro, and wrapped up with PSG’s win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

The opener match

Despite the concerns, the tournament opener between Inter Miami and Al Ahly ended in a 0–0 draw. Argentine goalkeeper Óscar Ustari was the hero for the Herons, saving a penalty from Egyptian winger Trézéguet in what was arguably the most dramatic moment of the match.