Concerns about the playing surface at AT&T Stadium have dampened the Dallas area’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup final.
A FIFA official questioned the Arlington stadium’s plans to temporarily convert the artificial turf field to a natural-grass hybrid to comply with regulations.
“We are looking at the pitch conversion and how that conversion is going to be done to make it a natural-grass surface that will actually survive the duration of the tournament, which is a huge challenge,” FIFA chief operating officer Heimo Schirgi told the Dallas Morning News this week.
AT&T Stadium, the retractable-roof home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, has used natural grass for other soccer events in the past. However, those featured temporary slabs of turf laid over the cement base and led to numerous complaints and injuries, according to the Dallas Morning News. The Cowboys were planning a more complex system to plant the grass for the World Cup.
AT&T Stadium reportedly is competing with MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., to host the final match of the 48-team World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
–Field Level Media