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We also use a ball drop machine that drops a soccer ball from 6 feet in the air, and we measure the audio of the ball hitting the ground and bouncing to learn more about how the ball is interacting with the turfgrass surface.
How do you keep natural turfgrass alive throughout the tournament? There is a multilayered system under the turfgrass per FI- FA’ s standards. All the stadiums must have an automatic irrigation system and grow lights to keep the turfgrass green for eight weeks.
In the fields that have permanent turfgrass, the first layer is sod followed by the reinforcement layer. The next layer is the turfgrass root system. This has 12 inches of sand to meet FIFA’ s specifications. The third layer is for drainage and includes 6 inches of gravel. Finally, there is a vacuum and ventilation layer that ensures the turfgrass gets air and any excess water is removed.
For the fields that will only have temporary turfgrass, the main differences are in the rootzone layer, which is 6 to 10 inches of sand to meet FIFA’ s specifications, and the drainage layer has 4 to 6 inches of gravel or a plastic drainage module called Permavoid.
How is the turfgrass strengthened or reinforced to withstand vigorous gameplay? There are two ways the turfgrass is reinforced. One way happens at the sod farm, where a plastic fiber carpet is laid down as the turfgrass is grown. The other is a method for reinforcing the turfgrass after it’ s installed at the stadium. Green plastic fibers are stitched or woven into the turfgrass using a machine with needles spaced 1 inch apart to strengthen the turfgrass surface for gameplay.
How did you test turfgrass for gameplay? We use machines like the foot lower extremity, or fLEX, machine, developed at UT, which simulates a 170-pound player during gameplay. The machine has a soccer cleat that strikes the turfgrass surface, and the information is displayed on a screen and available for analysis later so that we can test the wear-and-tear on the turfgrass.
How did you anticipate the athletes’ expectations from the turfgrass and its performance? These are the best soccer athletes in the world, so they understand if the turfgrass is too high or too low or if the field is a little soft. We have met FIFA’ s specifications and will support the 16 stadiums throughout the games so that the last thing the players worry about is the field.
National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management
The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration( AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association( NRPA), announced the finalists for the 2026 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management.
Established in 1965, the National Gold Medal Award program recognizes communities across the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program innovation, professional development and organizational excellence.
38 SportsField Management | June 2026 sportsfieldmanagementonline. com