{"id":1828,"date":"2026-06-05T17:06:04","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T17:06:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828"},"modified":"2026-06-05T17:06:04","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T17:06:04","slug":"inside-a-grass-scientists-6-year-quest-to-grow-world-cup-stadium-turf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828","title":{"rendered":"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<div> <div>\n<button>\n<strong>\n<span><svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n<span>Summary<\/span>\n<\/strong>\n<span><svg><\/svg>\n<\/span>\n<span><svg><\/svg>\n<\/span>\n<\/button>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>Turfgrass scientist John Trey Rogers has spent six years preparing the grass for the World Cup pitches.<\/li>\n<li>Using three species of grass, Rogers and his collaborators determined the best type, or combination, for each stadium.<\/li>\n<li>The process is complicated by the fact that five stadiums have domes, dramatically reducing the amount of sunlight available.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<span>AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            When the World Cup starts next week, no one will be watching the pitch more closely than John Trey Rogers. The players will have their eyes on the ball; the referees will be studying the gameplay. Rogers will be focused on the grass beneath their feet.\n    <\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1810\">Ex-CIA employee accused of stealing from agency is ordered to remain in jail ahead of trial<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n            Rogers, professor of turfgrass research at Michigan State University, is the grass guru responsible for the quality and durability of the World Cup pitches at the tournament\u2019s 16 venues in North America.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cI\u2019m more of a grass guy than a soccer guy,\u201d he said.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The World Cup, which begins June 11, will see 48 teams playing 104 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada over the course of six weeks, with conditions spanning from southern heat and humidity to temperate, northern climates.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The turf may not be top of mind for many fans, but it\u2019s a critical component of the high-stakes tournament, as it affects the physics of the ball and players\u2019 movements, and the likelihood of injury.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            While eight of the host stadiums are normally outfitted with artificial turf, and the rest sport natural turfgrass, all the stadiums must have their fields replaced with the grass most perfect for the game. This process is complicated by the fact that five have domes that dramatically reduce the amount of life-giving sunlight.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The job of making sure the revamped grass pitches uniformly meet exacting, professional-grade standards across all these stadiums has fallen to Rogers, his former student John Sorochan, who is now a distinguished professor of turfgrass science and management at the University of Tennessee, and their colleagues. It\u2019s a task that has taken six years of preparation, with the research beginning in late 2020.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The turf used for the World Cup pitches is grown on plastic so it can easily be transported.\" class=\"wp-image-1820\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/69e434437aed52a037b6b7428007cffa.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/69e434437aed52a037b6b7428007cffa.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/69e434437aed52a037b6b7428007cffa-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>The turf used for the World Cup pitches is grown on plastic so it can easily be transported.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Nick Schrader\/Michigan State University<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Researchers, professors and students from Michigan State University and the University of Tennessee have engineered the turf for the World Cup.\" class=\"wp-image-1821\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/907676be37534b5d41f08ca524535512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/907676be37534b5d41f08ca524535512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/907676be37534b5d41f08ca524535512-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Researchers, professors and students from Michigan State University and the University of Tennessee have engineered the turf for the World Cup.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Nick Schrader\/Michigan State University<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            \u201cFIFA wants the top games to be played on natural turf,\u201d Rogers said, \u201cbecause the world\u2019s best players will have the most control and most comfort on a natural turf surface, which they\u2019ve been playing on their whole life.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            It\u2019s a daunting endeavor. \u201cEight of the 16 stadiums don\u2019t have grass in them ever,\u201d he noted, \u201cand five of those once you put the grass in sunshine is not going to help you at all.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Most US stadiums are built for the National Football League, with fields that are about 75% to 80% the size of a regular soccer pitch. In the Kansas City, Missouri, stadium, for example, 10 rows of seats had to be removed to enlarge the field surface.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cMost of the world is soccer crazy. In other words, every stadium you ever go to it\u2019s a soccer stadium,\u201d he said. \u201cThe exception to that is the United States of America.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The stadiums with artificial turf, such as those in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Los Angeles, had to have the field covered or stripped out before the grass turf could be installed.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"John Trey Rogers is the grass guru responsible for the quality and durability of the World Cup pitches.\" class=\"wp-image-1822\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ddeae57459802bc1a8c0d416cd183669.jpg\" width=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ddeae57459802bc1a8c0d416cd183669.jpg 683w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ddeae57459802bc1a8c0d416cd183669-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>John Trey Rogers is the grass guru responsible for the quality and durability of the World Cup pitches.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Nick Schrader\/Michigan State University<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Using three species of grass, Rogers and his collaborators have devised the best type \u2014 or combination \u2014 for each location, using specialist equipment that mimics the wear and tear of cleated shoes and measures the height of the ball\u2019s bounce.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            For cooler climates, such as those in Toronto, Philadelphia and Mexico City (which despite its southern location sits at a high altitude) the turf is a mix of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. For stadiums in warmer climates, such as those in Miami and Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico, Rogers and his colleagues decided on Bermuda grass.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<header>\n<span>\n      Related article\n    <\/span>\n<\/header>\n<section>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ITALY - FEBRUARY 05: Korey Dropkin of Team United States and Cory Thiesse of Team United States compete during the Mixed Doubles Round Robin match between Team United States and Team Switzerland on day minus one of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on February 05, 2026 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Al Bello\/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-1823\" height=\"144\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b2044d633afd2401b2adbb64736ff146.jpg\" width=\"256\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>CORTINA D&#8217;AMPEZZO, ITALY &#8211; FEBRUARY 05: Korey Dropkin of Team United States and Cory Thiesse of Team United States compete during the Mixed Doubles Round Robin match between Team United States and Team Switzerland on day minus one of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium on February 05, 2026 in Cortina d&#8217;Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Al Bello\/Getty Images)<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Al Bello\/Getty Images<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n<span>Why do all Olympic curling stones come from one small island off Scotland\u2019s coast?<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<div>5  min read<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Domed venues further complicated the equation, he noted. Stadiums in the sweltering climates of Houston, Dallas and Atlanta would ostensibly require a warm-season species such as Bermuda grass, but because the grass will be indoors with less sunshine and under air-conditioning, a cool-season grass blend is better suited.\n    <\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1809\">NASA directs its ISS crew members to board spacecraft amid leak repair attempt<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n            To make sure the grass in indoor stadiums stays alive for six weeks, irrigation systems and banks of artificial grow lights are deployed.<br\/>\u201cThey look like big birds that get wheeled out and put on the turf,\u201d Rogers said. \u201cWe have to have a specific recipe for how many hours of light per day on the plant to have, and we\u2019re crossing some new ground in a lot of this.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cWe\u2019ve not had World Cup games in multiple domed stadiums over multiple-day periods before,\u201d he said.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Joe Wilkins III inspects the grass grown on his farm in Colorado to specifications devised by Rogers and his colleagues.\" class=\"wp-image-1824\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b83852e7a249b29f79b6644c2ac5e44c.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b83852e7a249b29f79b6644c2ac5e44c.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b83852e7a249b29f79b6644c2ac5e44c-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Joe Wilkins III inspects the grass grown on his farm in Colorado to specifications devised by Rogers and his colleagues.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Courtesy Joe Wilkins<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>\n        Grass is grown in Colorado\n<\/h2>\n<p>\n            Sod farmer Joe Wilkins III, general manager and owner of Green Valley Turf Co. in Platteville, Colorado, has grown and nurtured the grass for the Atlanta, Houston and Dallas stadiums, with monthly visits from Rogers, Sorochan and their team.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cIt seems a little strange that the grass is coming all the way from Colorado, but those buildings will be climate-controlled at 70 degrees throughout the whole tournament,\u201d he said, \u201cso they needed a cool-season grass which thrives in our environment that\u2019s near impossible to grow closer to where the venues are.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Wilkins began growing the sod a year ago on a layer of plastic, which is covered by gravel and 10 to 12 inches of sand. The technique ensures that the sod grows quickly and can be easily cut, rolled and transported. Each pitch is 82,000 square feet, or nearly 2 acres, but Wilkins said he has grown about 9 acres \u201cjust to have some extra so whatever we send is about as perfect as it can be.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            CNN witnessed the sod for Houston\u2019s pitch being cut and harvested in Colorado\u2019s cool nighttime temperatures on May 25. After the sod was rolled up like a carpet, it was loaded onto 24 refrigerated trucks before making the 1,000-mile journey to Houston, where seven matches will be played.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Once in the stadium, Wilkins said plastic fibers were sewn through the grass and into the sand layer to strengthen and stabilize the turf and help it retain its green color throughout the tournament.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cIt\u2019s the biggest sporting event in the world,\u201d Wilkins said. \u201cSo, to be a part of that and to have three fields, it\u2019s a great feeling.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The grass for World Cup stadiums in Atlanta, Houston and Dallas was grown in Colorado.\" class=\"wp-image-1825\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fe52c551bd98b76f6dd76bdc8e653ff7.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fe52c551bd98b76f6dd76bdc8e653ff7.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fe52c551bd98b76f6dd76bdc8e653ff7-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>The grass for World Cup stadiums in Atlanta, Houston and Dallas was grown in Colorado.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Harvesting the grass is an intensive process.\" class=\"wp-image-1826\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b1359fc503f4e390fe1a4e5752616151.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b1359fc503f4e390fe1a4e5752616151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/b1359fc503f4e390fe1a4e5752616151-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Harvesting the grass is an intensive process.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>CNN<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>\n        \u2018I will watch the grass first\u2019\n<\/h2>\n<p>\n            Rogers and his team are hoping to avoid the complaints about the quality of the grass pitches that were made at the 2024 Copa Am\u00e9rica tournament and Euro 2024.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            He\u2019s an experienced hand. At the 1994 World Cup, the first time the soccer tournament was held in the United States, Rogers made possible what was then a unique sporting feat: playing a World Cup soccer match on an indoor natural grass surface inside a domed stadium.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            He was responsible for installing real grass in the now demolished Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan for the 1994 men\u2019s World Cup. To lay the groundwork, he and his colleagues constructed a 6,600-square-foot model of the Pontiac Silverdome and pioneered the sod on modular, plastic growing systems that have been widely deployed at this year\u2019s tournament.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The now-defunct Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan was modified with a natural grass pitch engineered by Rogers ahead of the 1994 World Cup.\" class=\"wp-image-1827\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0dad27b3d26d9f89f5f084dc2b2347df-768x512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0dad27b3d26d9f89f5f084dc2b2347df-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0dad27b3d26d9f89f5f084dc2b2347df-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0dad27b3d26d9f89f5f084dc2b2347df.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>The now-defunct Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan was modified with a natural grass pitch engineered by Rogers ahead of the 1994 World Cup.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>David Cannon\/Getty Images<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Rogers said he is confident his team has done the work necessary to perfect the pitches \u2014 although he knows that, with the advent of high-definition TV, the expectations for the performance and aesthetics of the pitches are far higher than they were more than 30 years ago.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Back then, he hadn\u2019t heard of the World Cup, and he\u2019s still not exactly a devotee of the game. \u201cI love to watch the fans, and I\u2019ll cheer just like everyone else,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I will watch the grass first. I will promise you that.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n    Sign up for CNN\u2019s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.\n<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1807\">Amanita mushroom poisonings prompt concerns after deaths. A doctor explains what to know<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Researchers have spent years perfecting the natural grass turf that will be used in 16 stadiums across North America for the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1811,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life","category-science"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf - Relocation Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf - Relocation Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Researchers have spent years perfecting the natural grass turf that will be used in 16 stadiums across North America for the 2026 World Cup.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Relocation Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-05T17:06:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/69e434437aed52a037b6b7428007cffa.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3d25fb966f660ab012820a9e0acc09be\"},\"headline\":\"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-05T17:06:04+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828\"},\"wordCount\":1582,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/75f73226faa638aa54e3d661a9fa4d2b.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Life\",\"Science\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828\",\"name\":\"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf - Relocation Times\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/75f73226faa638aa54e3d661a9fa4d2b.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-05T17:06:04+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3d25fb966f660ab012820a9e0acc09be\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/75f73226faa638aa54e3d661a9fa4d2b.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/75f73226faa638aa54e3d661a9fa4d2b.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":450},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?p=1828#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Relocation Times\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3d25fb966f660ab012820a9e0acc09be\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/relocationtimess.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf - Relocation Times","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf - Relocation Times","og_description":"Researchers have spent years perfecting the natural grass turf that will be used in 16 stadiums across North America for the 2026 World Cup.","og_url":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828","og_site_name":"Relocation Times","article_published_time":"2026-06-05T17:06:04+00:00","og_image":[{"width":768,"height":512,"url":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/69e434437aed52a037b6b7428007cffa.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/#\/schema\/person\/3d25fb966f660ab012820a9e0acc09be"},"headline":"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf","datePublished":"2026-06-05T17:06:04+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828"},"wordCount":1582,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/75f73226faa638aa54e3d661a9fa4d2b.jpg","articleSection":["Life","Science"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828","url":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828","name":"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf - Relocation Times","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/75f73226faa638aa54e3d661a9fa4d2b.jpg","datePublished":"2026-06-05T17:06:04+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/#\/schema\/person\/3d25fb966f660ab012820a9e0acc09be"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/75f73226faa638aa54e3d661a9fa4d2b.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/75f73226faa638aa54e3d661a9fa4d2b.jpg","width":800,"height":450},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=1828#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Inside a grass scientist\u2019s 6-year quest to grow World Cup stadium turf"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/","name":"Relocation Times","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/#\/schema\/person\/3d25fb966f660ab012820a9e0acc09be","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/relocationtimess.com"],"url":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1828\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}