Challenges Behind Crafting the Ideal World Cup Grass Unveiled
WHO:
Fast Company - Researchers from Michigan State University (MSU) and the University of Tennessee (UT) were hired by FIFA.
Fast Company - John “Trey” Rogers III, a professor at MSU, and John Sorochan, a distinguished professor at UT, led the project.
WHAT:
Fast Company - The 2026 World Cup will feature playing fields that are the most diverse in the tournament's history, with games set to occur in 10 different climatic zones.
Fast Company - The grass for the World Cup has been grown in plastic trays for the first time, which allows for easier transportation and installation in stadiums.
Fast Company - The grass has been subjected to a variety of strength and use tests, including a "sod pull" test to measure the force required to pull apart a strip of mature grass.
Fast Company - A machine called fLEX was developed to simulate an athlete's foot striking the ground, measuring the playability of the turf and will be used throughout the tournament to record field conditions.
Fast Company - The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature playing fields made from a grass combination of 84% Kentucky bluegrass seed and 16% perennial ryegrass seed.
Fast Company - The tournament will take place in 16 different cities across three countries, with up to nine games played over a 39-day period.
Fast Company - The grass has been grown in plastic trays, which allows for easier transportation and installation in stadiums.
WHERE:
Fast Company - The 2026 World Cup will be hosted in cities across North America, including Toronto, Seattle, Dallas, Miami, Mexico City, and Guadalajara.
Fast Company - The grass will be used in 10 of the 16 fields, with the remaining six fields in warmer climates using high Bermuda grass.
WHEN:
Fast Company - The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off this month.
WHY:
Fast Company - FIFA aimed to create playing fields that are as similar as possible across diverse climatic zones for the tournament.
HOW:
Fast Company - The grass was grown in trays filled with sand, allowing roots to spread laterally and form a dense network for durability during games.
Fast Company - Researchers tested different combinations of grass types over nearly three years to develop a turf that could withstand top-level soccer play.
Fast Company - A machine called fLEX was developed to simulate an athlete's foot striking the ground, measuring the playability of the turf.
Fast Company - The grass was grown in trays filled with sand, allowing roots to spread laterally and form a dense network for durability during games.
(UPDATED June 11, 2026 16:25 UTC)
The 2026 World Cup is set to showcase the most diverse playing fields in the tournament's history, with games taking place across ten different climatic zones. For the first time, the grass has been grown in plastic trays filled with sand, allowing for easier transportation and installation while ensuring a strong root network for durability during matches. A specialized machine called fLEX will be used throughout the tournament to simulate an athlete's foot striking the turf, measuring playability and recording field conditions.
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(UPDATED June 11, 2026 12:24 UTC)
FIFA has enlisted researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Tennessee to develop specialized playing fields for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, which will feature a grass blend of 84% Kentucky bluegrass and 16% perennial ryegrass. The tournament will span 39 days across 16 cities in North America, including Toronto, Seattle, and Miami, with the grass cultivated in trays for easier installation at the stadiums. To ensure the fields are suitable for diverse climates, researchers spent nearly three years testing various grass combinations and created a machine to simulate the impact of athletes' feet on the turf.