Gotham FC might have won its 2026 NWSL Playoffs opener, but head coach Juan Carlos Amorós spent the aftermath apologizing for the poor conditions on the pitch. The defending champion edged the Seattle Reign 1-0 at Sports Illustrated Stadium off a Jordyn Bugg own goal, while fielding a wave of complaints about the playing surface.
Amorós Acknowledges Poor Gotham Pitch Conditions
The Seattle Reign FC vs Gotham quarterfinal played out on a worn grass, with the Bats managing no shots on target. Afterwards, Gotham's Juan Carlos Amorós did not dodge the criticism.
“I feel the obligation to almost apologize for the state of the pitch,” he said, adding that the club did everything it could.
Players on both sides piled on, as retiring Reign great Jess Fishlock called the surface “atrocious.” Gotham defender Jess Carter said it “was so bad,” while midfielder Jaelin Howell dubbed the conditions sandy and unstable.
Reign coach Laura Harvey later chimed in, noting that the league had already fined Gotham $10,000 over its pitch conditions during its regular-season finale.
2026 NWSL Playoffs Tee Up Semifinal Clashes
Of course, the New York Red Bulls operates the New Jersey venue. Sports Illustrated Stadium had recently hosted the team's regular-season MLS match, after staging a rugby game just a week earlier. Both events chewed up the quarterfinal playing field.
The No. 1 seed hosts No. 4 Kansas City in this Sunday's semifinal at the 5,000-seat ICahn Stadium on Randall's Island, avoiding both scheduling and pitch quality issues following the Red Bulls' Saturday night friendly against Club América.
Gotham previously announced plans to move to Queens's Etihad Park in 2028, sharing the new stadium with MLS side NYCFC.
