The natural grass pitch at MetLife Stadium — temporarily renamed New York New Jersey Stadium for the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament — was officially installed May 7-8, with just about a month to go before the first game kicks off.
About 600 rolls of North Carolina-grown Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass were rolled out to replace the artificial turf used by the Giants and Jets for home games. Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass is a high-performance, high-durability grass grown for elite-level soccer and other sports, as well as golf courses, commercial landscaping, public parks, erosion control, and high-end residential lawns.
FIFA’s $3-4 million-per-stadium turf strategy includes temporarily converting eight major artificial-turf NFL stadiums to natural grass. FIFA is using two types of surfaces for the expanded 48-nation, 104-game tournament.
Perfecting Turf Systems for Varied Conditions
Turfgrass and research experts from Michigan State University and the University of Tennessee came together in a first-of-its-kind collaboration with FIFA. Over the last four years, more than 170 experiments have perfected turf systems for both indoor and outdoor stadiums across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
According to FIFA, Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass is being used at warm-season venues in East Rutherford, New Jersey; Guadalajara, Mexico; Kansas City, Missouri; Miami Gardens, Florida; Monterrey, Mexico; and Santa Clara, California.
Perennial rye mixed with Kentucky bluegrass will be used at cool-season and indoor venues: Arlington, Texas; Atlanta; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Houston; Inglewood, California; Mexico City; Philadelphia; Seattle; Toronto; and Vancouver, British Columbia.
It took about 10 months and 10 turf farms in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. to produce and harvest enough grass for the stadiums and training camps, FIFA said.
From Artificial to Natural
Over in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Bermudagrass was laid over a 45-centimeter sand base designed to improve drainage and stability. The grass panels were then connected using an electric, self-propelled stadium stitching machine.
The stadium, located in the heart of the Meadowlands and just a few miles from the Lincoln Tunnel into Manhattan, will host eight matches during the tournament, including the final. The first NYNJ game is the highly anticipated Group C opener, Morocco vs. Brazil on Saturday, June 13 at 6 p.m. The final is on Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m.
Other temporary MetLife Stadium alterations included:
- Capacity: Approximately 1,740 seats in the corners have been removed to accommodate the required 75-by-115-yard FIFA pitch dimensions.
- Infrastructure: The project includes a new irrigation system and hybrid surface that will be in place for eight matches.
- Cost: The New Jersey Exposition Authority spent over $13 million for field renovations, including the two grass surfaces.
For more information, including the full schedule, click here.
