There were two unmistakable conclusions to be drawn from the CONCACAF Nations League finals at SoFi Stadium.
The first is that the U.S. men’s soccer team, which finished fourth out of four teams, is nowhere near ready for next year’s World Cup. The stadium, on the other hand, nailed its most important dress rehearsal, rolling out a hybrid grass carpet that weathered the strain of four games in as many days.
“The pitch exceeded our expectations,” said Otto Benedict, the stadium’s senior vice president for facility and campus operations. “While we were confident that the grass would respond well to the level of play and activity, we were uncertain of its resilience inside our building.