Overview
- Seven NFL stadiums that normally use artificial turf have been fitted with temporary natural grass to meet FIFA’s 2026 World Cup venue rule, a switch visible at sites such as MetLife, SoFi and Mercedes-Benz.
- Current and former players have publicly criticized the temporary fields, with the NFLPA reporting that 92% of players prefer natural grass and several athletes complaining about hardness and playability at MetLife.
- The NFL says it will not mandate natural grass and its chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, has argued studies do not show statistically significant differences in lower-body injuries or concussions by surface type.
- League officials announced a forthcoming library of approved and accredited NFL fields, applicable to both grass and synthetic turf, and gave teams two years to meet those new standards; most World Cup sod is expected to be removed after the tournament.
- The episode raises labor and operational questions for owners and players because permanent grass adds cost and scheduling limits for multiuse stadiums, and the field-surface issue is likely to surface in future collective-bargaining negotiations.