The science behind World Cup pitches

By Johnny Kauffman16th May 2026The 2026 World Cup kicks off in just a few weeks. The grass on which the tournament's 104 matches will be played has a vital but often overlooked role. Scientists have fed, mowed and stamped on miles of turf to get it right.IIt happened just eight minutes into the match. Ángel Di María stole the ball from a Canadian defender and took off toward his opponent's goal. One of Argentina's greatest footballers of all time had only the keeper to beat in a decisive moment in the group stages of the 2024 Copa America football tournament. But as he dribbled the ball towards the goal, he seemed to struggle to control it. Confronted by the Canadian goalkeeper at the edge of the penalty area, all Di Maria could muster was a relatively weak toe poke. The keeper blocked it easily. After the match, the Argentinean coach and players offered an explanation for what might have gone wrong. The reigning World Cup champions claimed the quality of the grass on the pitch in Atlanta, Georgia, in the US, affected their performance. The stadium where the match was being played – normally home to NFL side the Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer team Atlanta United – usually has an artificial pitch, but it had been replaced with a temporary grass surface just days before the tournament. Players complained that the ball jumped like "a springboard", describing the pitch as a "disaster". Concerns about the quality of the pitches continued to dog the tournament as games were played in other stadiums around the US. With the 2026 World Cup approaching, it is criticism that co-hosts US, Canada and Mexico will be eager to avoid. And they have brought in a team of specialists to make sure there are no complaints.  Over the past eight years researchers have bounced balls, stomped boots and abused patches of grass in the search for the perfect turf. They've fed, watered and nurtured different mixes of grass species to see how they'll cope. And they've measured blade...