World Cup 2026 final stadium reaches crucial milestone just one month out from tournament

With just over a month to go until the beginning of the FIFA World Cup, a major change has been made to MetLife Stadium, which could have a huge impact on how matches are played at the stadium.

The astroturf pitch has officially been removed and replaced by natural grass, with organisers hopeful that the new playing surface will allow competing players to feel more comfortable during matches at the stadium.

MetLife Stadium is set to host eight different matches at the World Cup this summer, including the final on Sunday, 19 July.

MetLife Stadium is given the ‘best grass on the planet'

As you might expect for a stadium pencilled in to host the World Cup final, thorough research was undertaken before organisers laid the new grass in the stadium in New Jersey.

Prior to being transported across to MetLife Stadium, the grass was grown in Tennessee, where experimentation work took place at a dedicated dome stadium.

Here for the pitch installation at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife). You may notice – some seats have been removed to meet pitch regulations. This is bluegrass grown in North Carolina. @News12NJ pic.twitter.com/R8aG7fd1br

— Tom Krosnowski (@N12TKrosnowski) May 7, 2026

David Graham, FIFA's Senior Pitch Manager, said:

“It's only justice that the best players on the planet hopefully get the best grass on the planet, and we're trying to achieve that.

“When it comes to delivering a field for the World Cup or for a tournament, to have those numbers (from Tennessee), have all the thought process, it's been very beneficial. I couldn't do my job without any of that information.”

“The game in general has always been played on natural grass. I know it’s going to be good because of the research.”

It is expected that the grass, which was laid in rectangular chunks on Thursday, 7 May, will be removed and replaced with artificial turf again after the World Cup final, ahead of the new NFL season, which will begin in September.

FGG says: Leaving it late

It's difficult not to question why FIFA have waited until May to lay new turf at the MetLife Stadium. History tells us that new turf needs time to bed in, so there will be concerns that one month is not a long enough time gap for that process to complete. Could we be about to witness a World Cup final on a cut-up pitch? Only time will tell.