South Africa manager slams World Cup venue after Czech Republic draw – “Not a football stadium”

South Africa boss Hugo Broos criticised a 2026 World Cup stadium following Thursday's 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic in Group A.

After losing 2-0 to Mexico in their World Cup opener, Bafana Bafana appeared to be on course for another defeat until Pavel Sulc was penalised for a handball in the box. Teboho Mokoena shouldered responsbility to slot home the subsequent penalty to put on the board ahead of their final group game against South Korea, knowing that a win would most likely see them advance to the knockout rounds for the very first time.

Away from the result, Broos expressed his disappointed at playing the Group A encounter under a closed roof at the Atlanta Stadium, commonly known as the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Broos explained that he preferred the stadiums like the historic Estadio Azteca, where South Africa played their first game aagainst Mexico, over state-of-the-art venues like the Atlanta Stadium.

“If I can be very honest, this is not a football stadium. It’s a nice stadium, fantastic stadium, everything you want. But only the grass is football. All the rest is not,” Broos said in his post-match press

“It’s a covered stadium. I like to play in an open stadium. I don’t feel really the atmosphere in such a stadium. When you compare it with Azteca, for example, that is a football stadium!

“These stadiums are fantastic stadiums for the crowd. I think they see everything in that stadium. There are no places that are covered or whatever. But, again, I rather like a real football stadium.”

FGG says: Broos' stadium comments likely to divide opinion

Broos has a point that the characterful Azteca is a better football stadium than the venue in Atlanta, partly due to the fact it has so much history as the stadium where Brazil and Pele lifted the World Cup in 1970 before Argentina and Diego Maradona achieved the same feat in 1986.

However, many modern stadiums are built with much more than just the sport in mind, taking into account the wants and needs of fans from the time they arrive at the venue to the time they leave. That said, the modern conviences can create an air of comfort that almost hampers the overall atmosphere when the game is taking place.

Many purists will agree with Broos' view, while othere may see it as a little outdated and a refusal to appreciate the demands of the modern sports fan.

The South Africa boss will get the chance to sample another ground when his team take on South Korea at the Estadio Monterrey on Wednesday.