A look at the hybrid grass technology beneath the surface of the World Cup final pitch

Spain’s victory over Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup Final at the New York New Jersey Stadium concluded FIFA’s most ambitious edition to date given its expanded format, multiple time zones and variety of climates across the three host nations.

Eight games in 36 days

Yet even after eight matches played at the stadium in just 36 days, the surface was set to face its most difficult test yet for the tournament’s grand finale, with a need to withstand a pre-match closing ceremony and a Super Bowl-style half time show as well as the final match itself. The field’s durability was tested by the intensity of the day itself, from match play to the staging and equipment required for the closing ceremony and half-time show, as well as the weeks of fixtures, training sessions and rehearsals that preceded the final.

As expected following Spain’s victory after extra time, the field held firm, underlining how the design, technology and grounds management expertise allowed it to stand up to far more than a single day, but a 48-team, near six-week, global tournament that asked far more of it than the sporting spectacle alone.

So, as the world’s attention turned to the stadium for the tournament’s conclusion, how exactly had the field been prepared to deliver an elite playing surface worthy of one of the world’s biggest sporting events?

The sod for the field in New Jersey was laid in just two days after more than five years’ research and months of preparation that saw the field itself grown at a turf farm in North Carolina. To ensure peak performance for the duration of the tournament, one aspect of its composition proved key: incorporation of hybrid grass technology.

What is a hybrid grass soccer field?

Hybrid grass fields, now used by many elite clubs across Europe and the Middle East, look like natural grass but combine around 95% natural turf with 5% synthetic fibers stitched across the entire surface. This network of millions of vertical fibers allows the root system of the natural grass to interlock with it, creating a reinforced, more durable and more stable surface. The channel created by each stitch also improves air movement and drainage, which promotes healthier roots and deeper growth.

This combination of factors allows every player to benefit from the cleat movement, traction and flexibility provided by natural grass but with a level of consistency and durability closer to those expected from a synthetic field – all while preserving the field’s aesthetic.

Stitching of the field at New York New Jersey Stadium began on 10 May, shortly after the sod was laid and just over a month before Brazil v Morocco on 13 June. Nearly 20 million synthetic fibers were stitched into the 85,000 sq ft field by UK-headquartered sports pitches specialist, SIS Pitches, over a period of just four days using two of its state-of-the-art, full electric SIS GRASS Hybrid Pro-X stitching machines. Each fiber was stitched to a depth of 3.14 inches (80mm) for maximum durability.

Although the field at the stadium commonly known as the MetLife was diligently stitched over four days, some stadium fields away from the World Cup have been stitched in as little as three. This speed of installation means stadium operators hosting concerts or other events can change between surfaces quickly without compromising turf quality.

Hybrid grass technology has featured at every stadium for this year’s World Cup, in line with FIFA regulations and New York New Jersey certainly hasn’t been the only one at this summer’s World Cup to feature SIS Grass Hybrid technology. The same high-performance system has also been used in San Francisco, Miami, Kansas City, Toronto and Monterrey – stadiums which have hosted a total of 37 fixtures including Sunday’s final.

SIS Pitches’ involvement in World Cup fields goes back to the mandatory introduction if hybrid fields for the tournament, building and stitching fields at half of the host stadiums in Russia, including the final’s Luzhniki Stadium. With the same standards in place for the 2022 World Cup, SIS Pitches went on to build and stitch six fields at stadiums used in Qatar.

While hybrid fields remain relatively new to stadiums in the US, the concept has been stipulated by FIFA as a requirement for all World Cup venues since the 2018 World Cup in Russia, This proved to be especially important for the 2026 World Cup given its expansion from 32 to 48 teams, which led to 40 more fixtures being scheduled than previous editions of the tournament.

FIFA, a number of Europe’s elite soccer leagues and a handful of NFL and MLS teams rely on hybrid fields for resilience, quick recovery and a surface which is safer and feels more natural to the athlete. Indeed, the New York New Jersey Stadium typically uses a fully synthetic field for matches played by the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets. As such, the hybrid grass surface that provided the stage for this Sunday’s World Cup final was installed temporarily atop sand and a sub-surface drainage system.

The stability and durability offered by hybrid fields may show NFL franchises and stadium operators a potential way to achieve the reliability and installation flexibility their stadium and field management teams need while giving players the optimum natural surface they often ask for.

Has the grass type had an impact on field performance?

Bermuda grass was chosen in New Jersey because of its resilience and tolerance to heat and potential drought, making it well-suited to the local climate where temperatures typically range from 80°F-100°F in the summer. This consideration was particularly important given the New York New Jersey Stadium being in use for the longest period of any of the World Cup venues.

Thanks to around-the-clock irrigation and ventilation throughout the tournament and the stitched hybrid fibers stabilizing the grass beneath the playing surface, the field in New Jersey was in prime condition come the final on 19 July.

Alan continued: “Bermuda Grass was selected for the New York New Jersey Stadium specifically for the World Cup as it is known as a warm season turf grass. Unlike other grasses used on milder climates, Bermuda grass tends to grow horizontally and needs relatively warm temperatures for it to do so, knitting the rolls of turf together across one full field at the same time. The hybrid grass stitching helped to fix the sod into the rootzone layers beneath the playing surface to ensure the sod was able to bed in and create a firm, fixed surface.”

Sunday’s World Cup final delivered something truly special, with Spain’s extra time win over Argentina matching Argentina’s victory over France in Qatar four years ago. The spectacle of the final and the fixtures that came before it have shown football and soccer venue field directors and operators that hybrid technology can provide consistent, reliable playing surfaces boasting all the benefits of natural grass but with added durability, consistency and stability.

Despite relatively low levels of awareness up to now, hybrid field technology could prove to be a lasting part of the tournament’s legacy, strengthening the case for wider adoption across the USA.