EAST RUTHERFORD — France defeated Senegal 3-1 in a World Cup Group I match on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Following the match, France midfielder Adrien Rabiot commented on the playing surface.

Rabiot, who played the entire match and assisted France's second goal, described the field. "The pitch... I don't even know if you can call it that. It felt more like an artificial surface - quite hard and quite rigid," Rabiot stated. France scored all three of its goals in the second half of the match.

France manager Didier Deschamps also noted the playing surface. "It's a special surface. It's different, for sure. You need to get used to it, I guess," Deschamps said. He added, "That might be cement below the grass. You have very short shards of grass here."

Deschamps further commented on the ball's behavior. "The ball rebounds the same whether the grass is moist or not," he said. "I understand you need to protect the grass, but it is a little different. It does hit a little different." France players did not wear studs on their cleats during the game.

MetLife Stadium typically features artificial turf. A temporary grass pitch consisting of 100% Bermuda grass was installed for the World Cup matches. MetLife Stadium is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches, including the final on July 19, 2026. Prior to the final, Senegal is scheduled to play Norway at MetLife Stadium on June 22, 2026, and England is scheduled to play Panama on June 27, 2026.