FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke has said a men’s World Cup could be played on artificial turf “sooner rather than later.” Valcke was responding to the criticism of FIFA’s decision that means next year’s women’s World Cup in Canada will not be played on grass. A number of leading women players have filed a legal challenge to the decision to play on third-generation synthetic pitches, and a major part of their argument is that men would not be expected to contest a World Cup on anything other than grass. Valcke said FIFA understands that players want “the best conditions to perform well” but stressed any organiser of any of its tournaments is entitled to propose artificial turf.
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