Overview
- This week multiple NFL venues that installed temporary natural grass for the 2026 World Cup began ripping it up, with video showing heavy machinery pulling up turf at AT&T Stadium and reports confirming removal at Gillette Stadium.
- Dozens of players led by figures such as Caleb Williams and Cam Heyward joined an NFLPA-backed social campaign using the hashtag #WorthTheCost to demand lasting grass fields and to highlight player safety and preference.
- Team owners and the league push back by citing upfront installation and ongoing maintenance costs, lost event flexibility at multiuse venues, and NFL data showing 2025 injury rates were similar on grass and turf.
- FIFA required and largely funded temporary grass for seven NFL turf stadiums during the tournament, and one remaining site, MetLife Stadium, planned to remove its pitch after the World Cup final.
- With the current collective bargaining agreement running through 2030, systemic change looks most likely to be bargained for in the next CBA, while some clubs may pursue local technical fixes like sod farms or upgraded infrastructure.