UTIA Takes the Stage at the FIFA World Cup

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, University of Tennessee turfgrass research is taking center stage. While you might have heard about this incredibly unique project for going on five years, it's now time for all the hard work to pay off as players and fans participate in the event.

Over the course of the past five years, UT turfgrass experts have helped develop the most consistent and safest natural grass playing surfaces, known as pitches, across 16 stadiums and dozens of training sites. Throughout June and July, 48 teams will play on these sites located in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The competition will feature 104 games stretched across four times zones and three climatic zones. Five of the stadiums are domed. Eight others require laying the new field over an artificial surface.

The key is that all the pitches must play identically, making the installation and maintenance of the pitches even more intricate. And that's where the UT turfgrass team led by Dr. John Sorochan, Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management, comes in.

"FIFA is the world's largest sporting event," said Dr. Sorochan. "1.8 billion people watched the last World Cup final, and what an honor for the University of Tennessee to have been charged with leading the research and with collaborating with Michigan State University to provide evidence-based data to give guidance for the best conditions to have consistent and uniform pitches."

The pitches will be at the following locations in North America:

• BC Place Vancouver - Canada
• Toronto Stadium - Canada
• Estadio Azteca Mexico City - Mexico
• Estadio Guadalajara - Mexico
• Estadio Monterrey - Mexico
• Atlanta Stadium - U.S.
• Boston Stadium - U.S.
• Dallas Stadium - U.S.
• Houston Stadium - U.S.
• Kansas City Stadium - U.S.
• Los Angeles Stadium - U.S.
• Miami Stadium - U.S.
• New York New Jersey Stadium - U.S. (Championship stadium)
• Philadelphia Stadium - U.S.
• San Francisco Bay Area Stadium - U.S.
• Seattle Stadium - U.S.

The goal of the project for UT turfgrass has been to produce identical pitches that are safe for players. They've done so by creating turfgrass systems - two of the systems include conventional rootzone and shallow profile. However, what makes it difficult is eight of the sixteen stadiums are designed for artificial turf and FIFA only uses natural turf. That's where the shallow profile system comes in - instead of a gravel base layer used in conventional rootzone systems, the shallow profile system uses permavoid and geotextile materials.

To say this five-year research project was complex would be quite the understatement, but for Dr. Sorochan and his team, the opportunity to provide research and management for the natural grass that world class athletes compete on is an incredible honor.

"For the past five years, we've been leading the research and data for FIFA and looking at turf indoors and coordinating sod production and collaborating with Michigan State and I've helped organize the big team we have," said Dr. Sorochan. "I wake up every night pinching myself about it - definitely a career highlight."

No doubt something the University of Tennessee should be proud of - as their research will be on full display for the world to see and five years of hard work will culminate as players compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.