FIFA adopts new technologies to enhance World Cup pitch quality

 FIFA President Gianni Infantino has acclaimed groundbreaking work to prepare the best possible pitches for both the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ and FIFA World Cup 26™ on a visit to the innovative turf and research development (R&D) facility in Knoxville, Tennessee.

When Host Cities and venues for the FIFA World Cup 26™ were announced in June 2022, FIFA’s Pitch Management Team implemented a five-year research and development project to produce perfect surfaces for the tournament and consistency for the players irrespective of the climate or stadium type in which they would be participating.

That partnership with the University of Tennessee (UT) and Michigan State University (MSU) has since been expanded to include the biggest-ever FIFA Club World Cup, and Infantino was impressed by the progressive use of technology that can benefit both player welfare and the spectacle of 167 matches across two trailblazing global tournaments.

“The quality of the pitches is important for these two fantastic competitions in cities which all have different conditions: some are at sea level, some are at altitude, some are in domes and covered, so we want to make sure that the quality of the pitch is the same for all teams and all players in all cities,” Infantino told assembled media.