The FIFA World Cup kicks off next month in stadiums across North America, and it's researchers at Michigan State University who are making sure the grass is perfect to play on.
A year and a half ago, WKAR brought you a story about these turf scientists, including Trey Rogers who has been leading the charge from MSU. He says he's "cautiously optimistic" about their final preparations.
At different locations around the continent, sod farms have been growing the turf on a plastic, geotextile barrier, so it can be easily moved and installed onto the fields.
"I feel like the sod farms have more than come through for us, as far as making the sod on plastic to the recipes that the research talked about, and now it's just getting that sod from Point A, from the sod farm to the stadium and getting it installed," he said.
Some stadiums already have their turf. Others will see grass put in over the next few weeks. Throughout the tournament, pitch managers will make sure the playing surface is maintained.
"From a viewer standpoint, they'll see pretty consistent-looking field. They'll all look about the same from field to field, and that's the idea," Rogers said.
Rogers says his experience working with FIFA has been like lightning striking twice after he previously worked as part of team that developed and installed turf at the Pontiac Silverdome for the tournament played in 1994.
He says the funding FIFA put behind his and his colleague's work is what will be most impactful to the entire field of turfgrass management.
"For me, what that really says is that we get a chance to push forward turfgrass research, even after the World Cup. So, this money will be trickling down to athletic fields and all parts of turfgrass for years slash decade to come," Rogers said.
The 2026 World Cup starts on June 11.
Interview Highlights
On the final preparations for the tournament
I feel like we've provided the data, the evidence-based research that people is looking for, to a large extent, and then I feel like the sod farms have more than come through for us, as far as making the sod on plastic to the recipes that the research talked about, and now it's just getting that sod from Point A, from the sod farm to the stadium and getting it installed.
On the maintenance of the turf during and between games
There's a pitch manager coming from overseas for every venue to assist the United States' pitch managers or venue managers, field managers, and I think between the two of them, they're going to provide some wonderful playing conditions, particularly in the area of the aesthetics. So, you know, from a viewer standpoint, they'll see pretty consistent-looking field. They'll all look about the same from field to field, and that's the idea. So, if that continues to happen, I'll be very happy.
On working with FIFA for the 1994 and 2026 World Cups
I've said lightning struck back in 1992. Now, it's struck again in 2026. But one of the reasons I say that is because of the funding, and the funding in my world for athletic fields and turf in general usually has to come from private entities, and usually has to come from areas where we have problems ... And so, FIFA has come along again in '26 and provided quite a bit of funding for doing this. And for me, what that really says is that we get a chance to push forward turfgrass research, even after the World Cup. So, this money will be trickling down to athletic fields and all parts of turfgrass for years slash decade to come.
Interview Transcript
Sophia Saliby: The FIFA World Cup kicks off next month in stadiums across North America, and it's researchers at Michigan State University who are making sure the grass is perfect to play on.
A year and a half ago, we brought you a story about these turf scientists, and one of the researchers leading the charge joins me now to talk about the final preparations before the start of the tournament. Trey Rogers, thank you for joining us.
Trey Rogers: You're welcome, Sophia.
Saliby: How are you feeling about a month out from the World Cup?
Rogers: Cautiously optimistic. I feel like we've provided the data, the evidence-based research that people is looking for, to a large extent, and then I feel like the sod farms have more than come through for us, as far as making the sod on plastic to the recipes that the research talked about, and now it's just getting that sod from Point A, from the sod farm to the stadium and getting it installed. No big thing, I guess.
Saliby: So, has the installation already happened for some of these stadiums? These are in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
Rogers: Yeah. So, there's been an installation, a couple of them. Again, if you remember. I like to divide these things into two camps. One is the camp where they have natural grass year-round, right, Kansas City, Philadelphia. And the other is the camp where they don't have natural grass year-round. And so, you know, while I think all these stadiums obviously are important, the ones that have my personal attention the most are the ones that don't have the grass year-round, just because this is not what they do. You know, when you ask Philadelphia to resod a field, that's pretty commonplace to them. They do that two, three, four times a year.
So, there are a couple of fields, to answer your question, there's a couple of stadiums that have gone in early that are temporary. One is Boston, and one is Seattle, and they've actually played a few MLS games on them to just to kind of test things out, so that they understand how to manage that grass. You know, it's a new thing to them in some senses as well.
None of the dome stadiums have grass yet. That's when we're really going to see a big flurry of activity, about the fifth or sixth of May through the 21st, 22nd of May, most of the grass will go in.
Rogers: Are there any advancements your team has developed that you're especially excited about when it comes to play?
Saliby: I would say that the one thing that we feel very confident in, that we worked on is the the mix itself. We feel like that's going to be pretty durable.
Light research that's gone on, primarily at the University of Tennessee, the researchers there have provided a nice, quantified number of hours that the lights need to be on on a given day, particularly when we don't have any matches to try to provide the most recovery. And that was always part of our game plan. And so, that is another thing that I think is very important as well.
Saliby: Is there anything viewers of the World Cup games might be able to notice about the turf from home? Or is there something they should watch out for?
Rogers: There's a pitch manager coming from overseas for every venue to assist the United States' pitch managers or venue managers, field managers, and I think between the two of them, they're going to provide some wonderful playing conditions, particularly in the area of the aesthetics.
So, you know, from a viewer standpoint, they'll see pretty consistent-looking field. They'll all look about the same from field to field, and that's the idea. So, if that continues to happen, I'll be very happy.
Saliby: You were part of the team that helped with the 1994 World Cup games that were held in Michigan. Is this kind of a full circle moment in your career?
Rogers: I sure hope so. I've said lightning struck back in 1992. Now, it's struck again in 2026. But one of the reasons I say that is because of the funding, and the funding in my world for athletic fields and turf in general usually has to come from private entities, and usually has to come from areas where we have problems, because we don't normally get funding through the traditional agricultural channels, because we don't feed anybody, and it's rightfully so. I don't have any problem with that.
And so, FIFA has come along again in '26 and provided quite a bit of funding for doing this. And for me, what that really says is that we get a chance to push forward turfgrass research, even after the World Cup. So, this money will be trickling down to athletic fields and all parts of turfgrass for years slash decade to come.
Saliby: Trey Rogers is a Michigan State University professor of turfgrass management. Thank you for joining us, and good luck with the World Cup!
Rogers: Thank you, Sophia.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
