Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has explained why he was left unimpressed by the Atlanta Stadium, bluntly declaring that the high-tech arena is “not meant for football.
Broos’ comments come after South Africa battled hard to secure a 1-1 draw against Czechia at the facility in their second Group A match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday.
The tactical stalemate leaves the South African national team facing a high-stakes, must-win final group encounter against South Korea in Monterrey, Mexico.
The 74-year-old Belgian tactician was cold on the multi-purpose venue, which is primarily shared by National Football League [NFL] franchise Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer [MLS] side Atlanta United FC.
Having previously hosted mega-events such as the Super Bowl and the prestigious College Football Playoff games, the iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium is being referred to simply as “Atlanta Stadium” for the duration of the World Cup.
Speaking after the intense clash against Czechia, Broos did not mince his words regarding the ultra-modern facility.
HUGO BROOS PREFERS ESTADIO AZTECA AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP
“If I can be very honest, this is not a football stadium,” Broos told journalists. “It’s a nice and fantastic stadium with everything you want, but only the grass is for football; all the rest is not. It’s a carpet stadium.
“So I like to play in another stadium. I don’t feel the atmosphere in such a stadium. You compare it with Estadio Azteca, for example—that is a football stadium. So yeah, we have to deal with it. Those stadiums are fantastic for the crowd, but I would rather play in a real stadium.”
Bafana Bafana will now shift their focus to the Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe, Mexico, for their crucial final Group A showdown against South Korea on Wednesday, 24 June.
However, they will have to navigate the must-win clash without midfield talisman Teboho Mokoena, who is suspended after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament against Czechia.
RELATED STORY: Why Broos exonerates emotional Teboho Mokoena after ‘stupid’ World Cup suspension