World Cup 2026 aims for perfect soccer pitch

FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, is seeing to create the perfect pitch for the 2026 World Cup.

In 2026, the World Cup is heading to North America, where games will be played across the U.S., Canada and Mexico in 16 different cites. FIFA, in its pursuit of creating the ideal playing surface for each venue, collaborated with turf experts from the University of Tennessee and Michigan State University to research and develop the best possible pitches for the tournament.

As the World Cup approaches in less than two years, featuring 48 teams playing 104 matches across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, organizers are determined to avoid the pitches becoming a subject of controversy, as it was during another major tournament earlier this summer.

Earlier this year, the 2024 Copa America, which was held in the U.S., faced widespread criticism on their pitches. Copa America is hosted by the South American Football Confederation, or CONMEBOL.

On June 20, Argentina beat Canada in a game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. However, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez said the grass on the field, which replaced artificial turf, was a “disaster.”

John Sorochan, a professor of turf grass science and management at Tennessee, said “FIFA has high expectations and demands that we can’t have any failures.”

“That’s why they’re supporting so much research and preparation so that they don’t have what happened at Copa, and the embarrassment of what CONMEBOL had.”

The 2026 World Cup is expected to be played in some American football stadiums, with roofs, similar to the games hosted during the 2024 Copa America.

Trey Rogers, Sorochan’s mentor and former Michigan State professor, explained that similar challenges were faced when the 1994 World Cup took place in the U.S. and games were played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan.

“One of the easiest decisions I have made around this tournament so far was the partnering of UT and MSU universities,” said Alan Ferguson, the FIFA26 director of infrastructure and technical services. “Both already had world-leading reputations, both already led by world-leading turf professors. I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel—it was already here.”

Climate change adds another layer of complexity, particularly with matches spanning from Mexico to Canada. Turf experts are exploring several surface options to adapt to these varying conditions.

“While new varieties of grasses have not been bred to specifically address the challenges of the World Cup, turf grass breeding efforts over the past 20 years have released new grass varieties that have improved heat, drought, disease and wear tolerance,” Sorochan said.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press