Eagles-Jaguars Game at Wembley Messed Up the Field for Premier League Match

An Eagles-Jaguars game held at Wembley Stadium on Sunday left a Monday Premier League match looking extra raggedy and people were not happy.

A general view inside the stadium during the NFL International Series.
Getty

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: A general view inside the stadium during the NFL International Series match between Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 28, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

A general view inside the stadium during the NFL International Series.

On Sunday, the Eagles beat the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium for one of those super early games that the NFL has played in London in recent years. Fast forward 27-28 hours and the field or pitch or whatever the hell you want to call it was hosting a Premier League game or match or whatever the hell you want to call it between the Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

The result of this quick turnaround was a patch that was not ideal for playing/falling down and pretending like you're hurt on. In fact, not only did it have a faded NFL logo that looked like a college and pro team were sharing the same playing surface (looking your way LA Coliseum), but it was also as raggedy as an under-funded high school, and still had the damn yard markers on display and everything:

The pitch conditions at Wembley right now are embarrassing. #TOTMCI pic.twitter.com/SpU1FcDQdM

— D.J. Switzer (@wrongsideofpond) October 29, 2018

This is an absolute shame. How can you have a #EPL game under these conditions. A game of this magnitude as well. #spurs #mancity #PremierLeague #TOTMCI pic.twitter.com/heut6aT3Tk

— Hussein S Kamel (@HusseinKamelio) October 29, 2018

The lino's job has been made 100x easier at Wembley tonight with those NFL pitch markings.

Don't expect any dodgy offside decisions 👀 pic.twitter.com/GuzjLFdgde

— COPA90 (@Copa90) October 29, 2018

Effed up Wembley field might just be America's greatest contribution to Premier League since Geoff Cameron 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/BcQnG1NiQL

— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) October 29, 2018

Ok, gave it a chance, but have to say it. This Wembley pitch is a travesty. Turf damage, yardage markings, an NFL crest in the centre circle. Spurs v Man City is taking place on a college gridiron training field.

— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) October 29, 2018

The absolute state of the Wembley pitch ahead of tonight's match between Tottenham and Man City. 😷 pic.twitter.com/DvIkYCjUA6

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) October 29, 2018

This amateurish-looking clownery was not the fault of poor scheduling (well, at least not entirely) and instead appears to be a result of construction delays. We say that because, when the game was first confirmed, it was supposed to take place in Tottenham's new stadium. But the opening for that place was pushed back to 2019. This precipitated a September announcement that the game would be played in Wembley Stadium. 

Latest in Sports