John Sorochan's Five-Year Grass Project Reaches Lincoln Financial Field
Scientists spent five years testing turfgrass for lincoln financial field and 15 other World Cup stadiums, building toward the 2026 tournament’s 104 games across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The work was aimed at safer, more durable and more consistent playing surfaces for the entire field of host cities.
John Sorochan's Turfgrass Focus
John Sorochan, the University of Tennessee professor of plant sciences and lead researcher on the project, said the goal was consistency and uniformity. He also said: "The focus is on consistency and uniformity."
That meant studying grass species to identify the highest performers, then developing customized seed blends for sod farmers based on host-city temperature. The grasses also had to reach a specific height to satisfy FIFA specifications.
Rogers Watches The Grass
John "Trey" Rogers III said, "I always watch the grass before I watch the game," and he will be watching the 2026 World Cup with the surface in mind. Rogers is a professor of turfgrass research at Michigan State University’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The work reached beyond open-air fields. The researchers explored how to grow grass in indoor stadiums that lack plant-sustaining sunlight, and the University of Tennessee used a shade structure FIFA built to mimic a domed stadium. They also studied how to lay natural pitches over artificial turf at eight World Cup stadiums, including Lumen Field in Seattle.
FIFA's Pitch Standards
FIFA has traditionally opted for natural grass, and the project was built around an even playing field for all 104 tournament games. John Sorochan said, "So when an athlete is running and cutting, whether in Miami, Mexico City or Vancouver, they shouldn’t feel any difference underfoot. Likewise, when the ball strikes the surface and reaches them, it should behave consistently."
Heimo Schirgi said in a 2024 video, "The importance of the perfect pitch cannot be overstated." That is the standard the scientists spent five years chasing as the tournament unfolds through July 19.
