June 12, 2026, 7:48 p.m. PT<\/p>\n
The United States Men’s National Team opened their World Cup journey Friday night on a grass field at SoFi Stadium. Amid their 3-0 first-half romp over Paraguay, San Francisco 49ers<\/a> tight end George Kittle took to Twitter to comment on the playing surface at the home stadium of the Los Angeles Rams<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Also this grass looks great on Sofi’s field<\/a>…” Kittle wrote. “Wonder if we could get that all season.”<\/p>\n Playing surfaces have been a topic of conversation around the NFL as injuries on artificial surfaces have come under increasing scrutiny. With the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement set to expire at the end of the 2030 season and a potential 18-game season on the table, there’s a strong chance we see players push for the league to outlaw artificial surfaces in favor of natural grass.<\/p>\n FIFA required World Cup venues to install natural grass, so the tournament is proof-positive that NFL stadiums are capable of putting down a professional-quality natural grass surface. Kittle was quick to point that out early in the USMNT’s World Cup opener, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the grass at NFL stadiums become a more frequent observation from players throughout the international soccer contest.<\/p>\n More 49ers: 49ers ranked 4th in NFL in quick-passing efficiency in 2025<\/a><\/p>\n