American soccer players are objecting to the decision by the US Soccer Federation to have them play Venezuela at Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium, claiming the playing surface is dangerous.
The match will serve as the team’s final preparation match ahead of the 2019 Gold Cup, and will also mark the first time the US has played in Cincinnati.
The US National Soccer Team Players Association released a statement last week opposing the match, which will be played on a temporary grass field on top of the venue’s artificial turf.
Nippert Stadium is the home of Major League Soccer’s expansion Cincinnati team. The association said, “A game played on sod on top of artificial turf will be a waste of 90 minutes and also presents a substantially increased risk of player injury.” Read more here