With World Cup looming, these scientists are trying to create the perfect grass

From thrilling goals to devastating, knockout defeats, every four years the FIFA World Cup electrifies the globe.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — From thrilling goals to devastating knockout defeats, every four years the FIFA World Cup electrifies the globe.

And in one year, 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off with the United States, Canada and Mexico co-hosting an unprecedented event.

The tournament, which could feature the likes of superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, will mark the first time three countries co-host across 16 different cities, making for what FIFA sees as the most complex World Cup in history.

“Whether they’re playing Seattle or Guadalajara, I need these pitches to behave absolutely the same. I want the same bounce. I want the same volleyball action from the players into the grass,” said FIFA senior pitch management manager Alan Ferguson, who wants every team to play on a consistent surface, whether it's keeping cool in the Pacific Northwest, at altitude in Mexico City or sweating it out in Miami.

“The safety aspect is everything. It's paramount. That has to be my first thought,” Ferguson said in an interview at the facility at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where UT researchers, working with Michigan State University, have been helping FIFA finalize how each venue will prepare its pitch for tournament play.