Knoxville won’t be hosting any 2026 FIFA World Cups games, yet the city will still play a vital role in making the event happen.
FIFA is working with the University of Tennessee and Michigan State University to develop field turf for all 16 host sites for the World Cup, which will be played across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA selected John Sorochan, the distinguished professor of turfgrass science and management at UT, to lead the research program that supports the design, installation and management of the 16 stadium fields and dozens of training fields required for the tournament in 2026.
FIFA President Gianna Infantino visited Knoxville last week to get an update on the progress of the turf fields.
“We want to make sure that the quality of the grass – of the pitch – is the same for all teams, for all players, in all cities, because we’re organizing the World Cup,” Infantino says. “We started this project here, which is truly revolutionary, together a few years ago. We’re very excited about it, and we look forward to the results on the pitch.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off June 11 and run through July 19. Among the 16 cities hosting the event are Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Mexico City and Vancouver.
“Sharing our evidence-based research with end users for the World Cup 2026 and others from around the world means everything to me,” Sorochan says. “Knowing that half of the world is watching something you have been a part of – it’s hard to imagine the emotion that I’m going to feel.”
Consistency the key
Sorochan has prior experience collaborating with FIFA and Michigan State. He worked with MSU lead professor, Trey Rodgers, in the pitch development for the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in North America.
When the host cities and venues were announced in June 2022, FIFA’s Pitch Management Team implemented an innovative five-year research and development project to produce the perfect natural grass pitches for the tournament.
“One of the easiest decisions I have made around this tournament so far was the partnering of UT and MSU universities,” says Alan Ferguson, FIFA26 director of infrastructure and technical services. “Both already had world-leading reputations, both already led by world-leading turf professors. I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel – it was already here.”
UT and MSU have researched different grasses, cuts, and feed to bring uniformity to all 16 cities hosting World Cup matches.
Sod farmers will grow the turf around the continent to provide consistent quality of the pitch for each of the games. The turf will be able to hold up no matter the sun exposure, elevation, climate and time zone of the host stadium.
High-tech real grass
At the UT Institute of Agriculture’s East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, UT constructed a state-of-the-art shade house to replicate the conditions of a domed stadium. It allows UT to test the turf under grow lights to find the best consistency for FIFA.
UT utilizes high speed video action to study force, traction and reaction on the turf. It runs multiple tests and uses unique machinery to ensure the bounce of the ball is perfect and player safety is at a premium.
“When a player runs and cuts, it’s going to be the same,” Sorochan says. “When the ball bounces and rolls, it’s going to be the same, and that’s the challenge I’ve been tasked with.”
Sorochan’s sports expertise goes beyond just soccer fields. He has worked with the UT Athletics Department on the turf inside Neyland Stadium.
“Working with UT Athletics and them being open to partnering with us to use it as a proving ground, it’s been one of the highest quality fields for the last four or five years in college football,” Sorochan says. “We use that as a corridor for what we want to achieve for other pitches, or NFL fields, or FIFA World Cup fields or even high school fields and the safety for kids.”
Trial run later this year
Before the 2026 World Cup, UT and MSU’s work will be used for one other major FIFA event. The revamped FIFA Club World Cup takes place this year with 63 games spanning from June 14-July 13 across 12 locations, including Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte, Los Angeles and Orlando.
Sorochan tested the turf last fall at AT&T Stadium in Dallas during a soccer friendly between Canada and Mexico. He said players “raved about the quality of the pitch” after the game. He’s hoping for the same feedback during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where his work will be on display for the largest sporting event in the world by viewership.
“Five billion people watch the World Cup, and 1 billion people – 20% of the world – watch the final,” Sorochan says. “That’s kind of surreal.”