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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Ryan Baldi

‘A plague of liars’: what caused the disastrous pitches at Copa América?

United States Copa Copa América Conmebol World Cup Fifa Lionel Scaloni Marcelo Bielsa USMNT Vinícius Júnior
Venezuela players next to a damaged part of the pitch during their Copa América match with Mexico last month
Venezuela players next to a damaged part of the pitch during their Copa América match with Mexico last month. Photograph: Ryan Sun/AP

For the three nations set to co-host the 2026 World Cup – the United States, Mexico and Canada – this summer’s Copa América, held in the US, provided a timely test of their ability to compete at their home tournament in two years.

The results were mixed. The US and Mexico crashed out in the group stage, while Canada made it all the way to the semi-finals, losing to the eventual champions, Argentina.

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