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Inside the Field Prep Behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Rogers’ team designed reinforced grass to withstand heavy use and keep play consistent across 16 tournament fields, officials said.
- Led by Professor John Trey Rogers, Michigan State University researchers engineered the natural grass fields for all 16 FIFA World Cup venues using reinforced sod-on-plastic technology developed over years of research.
- FIFA mandated natural grass for all tournament stadiums, forcing temporary conversions at 11 U.S. venues that typically use synthetic turf to meet strict international standards.
- An NFL Players Association survey of more than 1,700 players revealed 92% prefer natural grass, while New York Giants offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor called the temporary switch 'cool for FIFA' but frustrating for players.
- Citing multi-use venues and climate challenges, NFL field director Nick Pappas argued that full-time grass adoption remains difficult, while the league maintains synthetic surfaces meet current safety standards.
- Across the league, players view the World Cup's successful grass installation as a 'proof of concept' for all 30 stadiums, though future field decisions remain uncertain as the NFL prioritizes venue flexibility.
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14 Articles
14 Articles
NBC Chicago+5 Reposted by 5 other sources
Turf or grass? World Cup fields have NFL players asking why they still play on turf fields
When the United States men’s national team takes the pitch for its first World Cup match, its players’ feet will land on newly installed grass at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, typically the home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. That’s because FIFA required all 16 stadiums hosting World Cup matches across the U.S., Mexico and Canada to have playing surfaces that are mostly natural grass, with strict requirements to…
·Chicago, United States
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Why World Cup venues are installing grass fields to replace turf — and the years-long quest to get it right
Here's an inside look at the grass field installed at MetLife Stadium for its World Cup 2026 games, which covers the normal artificial turf that has seen numerous devastating injuries.
·New York, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left6Leaning Right1Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
C 42%
Factuality
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