{"id":11902,"date":"2026-04-21T08:40:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T01:40:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/?p=11902"},"modified":"2026-04-21T08:40:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T01:40:45","slug":"we-designed-the-turf-for-soccers-biggest-world-cup-ever-heres-how-we-created-the-same-playing-experience-across-3-countries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/we-designed-the-turf-for-soccers-biggest-world-cup-ever-heres-how-we-created-the-same-playing-experience-across-3-countries\/","title":{"rendered":"We designed the turf for soccer\u2019s biggest World Cup ever \u2013 here\u2019s how we created the same playing experience across 3\u00a0countries"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With 104 matches in 16 stadiums across Canada, the United States and Mexico, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be soccer\u2019s biggest event ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s our job as turfgrass researchers hired by FIFA, the game\u2019s governing body, to make sure those pitches feel the same for players and that the grass thrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s not so simple. In fact, it seemed like an impossible challenge at first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Picking the right turf<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The scale of this job was unprecedented: three distinct climatic zones, over 3,100 miles between the farthest stadiums, and venues ranging from stadiums open to the heat of Mexico City and Miami to enclosed NFL stadiums in Dallas and Atlanta, to the cooler climates of Boston and Toronto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignwide is-type-wp-embed is-provider-datawrapper wp-block-embed-datawrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"FIFA World Cup 2026: What they&#039;re playing on matters\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/g295Z\/4\/#?secret=9nz47HL8n8\" data-secret=\"9nz47HL8n8\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"679\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the unique situations of each stadium, FIFA has a long list of rules for how the fields must be built. The grass has to be real but reinforced so it can handle a lot of games and ceremonies. Each field needs an automatic irrigation system, good drainage, built-in vacuum and vents to keep the grass and soil aerated, and artificial grow lights to keep the grass healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each host city is responsible for figuring out how to meet these requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Right now, eight of the 2026 host stadiums normally use artificial turf \u2013 how will they temporarily switch to real grass for the World Cup?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even trickier, five of the stadiums have domes, which means the grass gets less sunlight. How can they keep the grass alive for eight weeks?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How can we make sure that a player competing in Philadelphia has the same on\u2011field experience as a player competing in Guadalajara or Seattle? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Gillette Stadium field transformed for World Cup with natural grass\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-EqcbuBWKd8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\"><em> The new turfgrass goes down in New England\u2019s Gillette Stadium near Boston. WCBV.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Our team at the University of Tennessee and Michigan State University has spent the past five years researching these questions to provide guidance to the host cities. Here, we\u2019ll explore some of the most important questions we faced: which grass to grow, how it\u2019s grown, how we plan to make it even stronger, and how to move it safely to each stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Growing the grass<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Typically, sod is grown on native soil. When harvested, the roots are cut, which shocks the plant and can delay root reestablishment for several weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That wouldn\u2019t work for the World Cup because games may take place within just 10 days of installation. If the roots can\u2019t become established fast enough, the grass will be weaker and more prone to damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To address this, we decided to use sod grown on plastic with sand as a base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of it like growing grass in a plastic tray, but on a much larger scale. When the roots reach the plastic, they spread sideways and intertwine, forming a dense rooting system. Because the roots stay intact during harvest, the sod experiences minimal stress and can be ready to play almost immediately after installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sod for sports fields is typically grown in a base of sand to provide quick drainage and prevent the grass from getting compacted as the roots become established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem is that growing grass in 2 inches of sand on a plastic sheet comes with risks. Because of the plastic, a single heavy rainfall while the grass is becoming established can wash the exposed sand away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For warm\u2011season sod farmers \u2013 those that grow grass that thrives in high temperatures \u2013 sand washing away is less of a concern because the Bermudagrass they grow establishes quickly. On the other hand, cool\u2011season sod farmers usually grow Kentucky bluegrass, which germinates slowly compared to other turfgrass species, increasing the risk of washouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We decided to mix a faster\u2011germinating species \u2013 perennial ryegrass \u2013 with Kentucky bluegrass grown on plastic and then tested various seeding ratios. We found that an 84% Kentucky bluegrass and 16% perennial ryegrass mixture produced a stronger sod than pure Kentucky bluegrass alone four months after seeding. Since 2025, these findings have been used on sod farms across North America, beyond those growing grass for the World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stabilizing the surface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne World Cup game is equal to a Super Bowl,\u201d FIFA officials like to remind us. Since each field will host a lot of games and ceremonies, including up to nine games over six weeks, the fields need to be extremely strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make them tougher, we mix plastic fibers into the natural grass, which creates a hybrid turfgrass system. As the grass grows, its roots wrap around these plastic fibers, which helps to keep the surface stable and firm. These fibers are also colored to match the natural grass, so even if the real grass wears down, they help the field stay green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hybrid turfgrass systems can be created in two ways: by stitching plastic fibers into an existing grass field or by laying down a carpet of plastic fibers that is then filled with sand and seeded to grow new grass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stitched systems have been used in World Cup games for a long time, but carpet systems are still fairly new to the tournament \u2013 they have been used only in the 2023 Women\u2019s World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We tested eight carpet systems to see how they performed and found that all could be successfully grown on plastic. All the surface performance tests \u2013 ball bounce, rotational resistance and surface hardness \u2013 on these eight carpets also met FIFA standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One type of carpet was chosen by three host cities for their stadiums: Vancouver, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting the sod from farm to stadium<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the stadiums \u2013 14 of them \u2013 will have sod that is grown on plastic, then rolled up and shipped to the venue during spring 2026. Some of the grasses won\u2019t have to travel far, but some will be shipped in refrigerated trucks across the country. Since the sod remains fully intact after harvest, it can withstand long travel times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Five of those stadiums don\u2019t get enough sunlight, so they will use cool-season grasses that require less light than warm-season grasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the open-air stadium in Miami will use Bermudagrass, the domed stadium in Houston, despite being at a similar latitude, will use the Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass mix. That means cross-country trips from cool-season sod farms in Denver and Washington to domed stadiums in the southern regions is essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s wild to think that this is all necessary, but the length of the tournament and unique stadium environments call for innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/john-n-trey-rogers-2637507\">John N. Trey Rogers<\/a>, Professor of Turfgrass Research, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/michigan-state-university-1349\">Michigan State University<\/a><\/em>; <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/jackie-lyn-a-guevara-2637516\">Jackie Lyn A. Guevara<\/a>, Assistant Professor of Turfgrass Management, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/michigan-state-university-1349\">Michigan State University<\/a><\/em>; <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/john-sorochan-2637514\">John Sorochan<\/a>, Professor of Plant Sciences, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/university-of-tennessee-688\">University of Tennessee<\/a><\/em>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/ryan-bearss-2637519\">Ryan Bearss<\/a>, Research Assistant in Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/michigan-state-university-1349\">Michigan State University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">This article is republished from <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/we-designed-the-turf-for-soccers-biggest-world-cup-ever-heres-how-we-created-the-same-playing-experience-across-3-countries-279536\">original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With 104 matches in 16 stadiums across Canada, the United States and Mexico, the 2026 FIFA World Cup<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11903,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[276,63],"class_list":["post-11902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science","tag-fifa","tag-football"],"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football.jpg",1280,720,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football-768x432.jpg",640,360,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football-1024x576.jpg",640,360,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football.jpg",1280,720,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football.jpg",1280,720,false],"morenews-large":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football-825x575.jpg",825,575,true],"morenews-medium":["https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football-590x410.jpg",590,410,true]},"author_info":{"info":["admin"]},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/category\/science\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Science<\/a>","tag_info":"Science","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/football.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11902"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11902\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11904,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11902\/revisions\/11904"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11903"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}