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The pink glow of specialized LED grow lights illuminates the mats of sod laid inside of AT&T Stadium, May 14, 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tom Fox\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
After the final whistle blows July 14, ending the last FIFA World Cup<\/a> match at Dallas Stadium, crews will begin ripping up the nearly 10,000 square yards of turf to prepare for the Dallas Cowboys<\/a>\u2019 upcoming season.<\/p>\n According to stadium general manager Tod Martin<\/a>, AT&T Stadium\u2019s transformation for the World Cup took roughly 45,000 hours and the hauling of around 15,000 tons of materials. Researchers across the United States also spent years perfecting the field in accordance with FIFA\u2019s pitch guidelines.<\/p>\n The hybrid turf, a mix of two grass varieties reinforced with plastic fibers, will be replaced with artificial turf. This news comes despite positive reception from World Cup players, a 2024 NFL Players Association<\/a> survey reporting 92% of the league\u2019s players wanted to play on grass fields<\/a>, and research suggesting artificial turf may be more dangerous for athletes.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The research behind the turf grass<\/p>\n Eight of the 16 World Cup venues, including Dallas\u00a0Stadium, typically use artificial turf. Instead of permanently converting their fields, these stadiums installed temporary hybrid systems.<\/p>\n FIFA<\/a> allocated $5 million to research, develop and produce the fields for the 2026 World Cup venues, and an Avengers-level team of turfgrass researchers was assembled to develop terrain in accordance with FIFA\u2019s strict standards.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The researchers, led by Trey Rogers at Michigan State University and John Sorochan at the University of Tennessee, ran extensive experiments to determine what types of grass would make for the best playing surfaces, all while accounting for differences in climate, humidity and temperature across stadium locations to ensure consistent turf conditions.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThe main thing was it needed to be produced quickly, so we wanted a bluegrass-dominant system,\u201d Rogers said. Rye grass, he said, was added because the turf was being grown on plastic and needed to grow faster than a 100% Kentucky bluegrass pitch would.<\/p>\n The mixture of these two grasses was ultimately selected for Dallas Stadium\u2019s pitch.<\/p>\n The researchers also performed a series of tests, sometimes developing their own equipment, to see how various turf combinations responded to players\u2019 movements.\u00a0<\/p>\n One of Sorochan\u2019s team\u2019s inventions is the fLEX, a portable device outfitted with a 3D-printed foot in a soccer cleat that mimics the same motion, impact and acceleration of an average men\u2019s World Cup player and measures the amount of energy absorbed by the turf and returned to the player.\u00a0<\/p>\n The field used in Dallas was grown in Colorado on a thin layer of sand atop a plastic sheet. This caused the roots of the grass to grow in a dense mat that could be sliced and rolled up for transport, similar to a large, grassy rug.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u00a0LED grow lights, designed to stimulate photosynthesis and accelerate turfgrass growth, are pictured being used at AT&T Stadium in May on the freshly laid pitch for the upcoming FIFA World Cup matches at the stadium.<\/p>\n Tom Fox\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n These large rolls of turf were transported approximately 800 miles to North Texas, where they were transplanted and reinforced with plastic fibers, which act as anchors for the natural roots and help stabilize the field.\u00a0<\/p>\n LED grow-lighting systems, fans, elevated pitches and alternative roof configurations were also used in stadiums to help maintain the fields after installation, ensuring the roots have room to grow and the grass has adequate light and water.\u00a0<\/p>\n Why the debate?<\/p>\n The debate as to whether artificial or natural turf is better for sports has been going on for decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThere’s a lot of differences between natural grass and artificial grass, from the playability standpoint to the environmental standpoint,\u201d said Agustin Boeri, an assistant professor and turf extension specialist at Texas A&M University, who was not involved in FIFA\u2019s turf research.<\/p>\n Natural turf has environmental benefits, but it requires maintenance such as LED grow lights and irrigation systems, Boeri said. Synthetic turf is often promoted for its lower water usage and increased durability, he said, which makes it a good option for situations where there is a lot of heavy use, or in shaded areas like closed stadiums.<\/p>\n \u201cSynthetic turf, in some ways, is easier to maintain,\u201d Boeri said. \u201cThat doesn’t mean that it doesn’t require maintenance. It does.\u201d Artificial turf periodically needs to be replaced, and comprehensive measurements need to be taken to ensure the depth is even throughout.\u00a0<\/p>\n Compared to its natural counterpart, synthetic turf has been linked to more ankle and knee injuries due to it having a less cushioned surface.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: Grass over turf? Cowboys players voice opinions on Dallas Stadium’s World Cup playing surface<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Running across artificial turf, Rogers said, causes a lot more stress on players\u2019 bodies. \u201cIf you run on grass versus on asphalt, which one’s easier on your body?\u201d<\/p>\n Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) races to the goal line for a fourth quarter touchdown against the Washington Redskins defense at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, November 22, 2018. Dak kept the ball after not being able to find a receiver. The Cowboys defeated the Redskins, 31-23. (Tom Fox\/The Dallas Morning News)<\/p>\n Tom Fox\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n Some research suggests an increased risk of brain trauma on artificial turf due to the greater impact deceleration<\/a>, or the sudden loss of momentum experienced by a player after an impact. But the data on artificial turf\u2019s effect on concussions is inconclusive.<\/p>\n The NFL Players Association<\/a> also advocates for the use of natural grass for both practice and game fields, citing NFL injury data showing a higher contact injury rate on artificial turf and an overwhelming preference among football players for natural grass.<\/p>\n “You look at FIFA, they’ll roll out the green carpet for soccer players, and that\u2019s become the norm,” said NFLPA executive director JC Tretter on the Not Just Football podcast<\/a> hosted by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward. “Over in European leagues, that is what you do. You play on grass. They have surface standards that each thing is rolled out. It’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. And those players will not play if it\u2019s not that.”<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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