Look: Atlanta United FC begins play in worryingly narrow confines

MLS expansion side Atlanta United FC plays host to the New York Red Bulls Sunday as the Georgians kick off their maiden voyage in North America’s top flight, and considering the dimensions of their temporary grounds, there’s plenty of reason for concern.

Atlanta will call Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium home until the Mercedes Benz Stadium is ready in July, and one glance at the pitch designed for American football points at a brick wall just feet from the touchline.

(Photo courtesy: Planet Futbol)

As Ken Sugiura of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution explains, several modifications were made to the field typically used for the Yellow Jackets’ home games. For Sunday’s 55,000-sellout tilt, a strip of concrete that ran parallel to the west sideline has been removed and replaced with artificial turf, while natural grass has subbed in for carpet surrounding the pitch.

Still, a concrete wall surrounding the pitch could pose a problem, with the death of 21-year-old Argentine footballer Emanuel Ortega in 2015 serving as a reminder of the perils of a brick barrier. Playing for San Martin de Burzaco in Argentina’s fifth tier, Ortega died after a collision sent him into the wall headfirst just a meter from the pitch.

Tata Martino’s Atlanta side will play eight home fixtures at the Bobby Dodd Stadium before switching venues this summer.