FIFA is working to improve the quality of the turf that will be used at stadiums that have artificial turf such as Mercedes-Benz Stadium ahead of this summer’s Club World Cup.
Manolo Zubiria, Chief Tournament Officer — USA, said Thursday that FIFA is working with scientists at Tennessee and Michigan State to eliminate the trampoline effect that some players described during last year’s Copa America.
“There’s been a lot of work, and we’re doing more testing, even now at SoFi Stadium ... to make sure that we have great playing conditions for the for the players,” he said.
SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, is scheduled to host the CONCACAF Nations League championship next week. Grass is being put into the stadium. The grass there, according to yahoo.com, will have artificial fibers weaved into natural grass and then put on top of a Permavoid drainage layer. The artificial turf weaves will be shorter than the natural grass and will be used to add stability. Several stadiums in Europe, including Liverpool’s Anfield, use the hybrid systems.
Atlanta and Mercedes-Benz Stadium are scheduled to host six matches in this summer’s Club World Cup and eight matches in next summer’s World Cup.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and a delegation that included Zubiria visited the turf-and-research facility in Knoxville, Tennessee, in February. Infantino was quoted by FIFA as saying that the quality of the grass is very important to him.
Zubiria said that different surfaces that will sit below the grass have been tested to try to eliminate the bounciness that could sometimes be seen during the Copa America.
The process used at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the Copa America included putting down rolls of a type of Bermuda grass on flooring over the existing artificial turf. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni complained about the quality of the surface after his team’s victory.
Zubiria said putting Club World Cup matches in Atlanta was a “no-brainer” because of the quality of the stadium and the city’s passion for soccer. Atlanta United has led MLS in attendance in each of its first eight seasons. The city has hosted numerous international matches. In addition to Club World Cup, it will host a doubleheader of Premier League teams this summer.
“It’s one of the most modern, beautiful stadiums, not only in the U.S., but in the world,” he said. “It was a priority of FIFA to try to play in as many of the stadiums of 2026 because it gives us an opportunity to showcase the stadiums that will be used by the national teams a year later, and with the level of teams and games that will have for the Club World Cup, a stadium like Atlanta had to be in the lineup for the Club World Cup.”
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Atlanta United’s 2025 schedule
Feb. 22 Atlanta United 3, Montreal 2
March 1 Charlotte 2, Atlanta United 0
March 8 Atlanta United 0, New York Red Bulls 0
March 16 vs. Miami, 7 p.m., Apple
March 22 at Cincinnati, 2:30 p.m., Apple
March 29 vs. NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 5 vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 12 vs. New England, 2:30 p.m., Apple, Fox
April 19 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
April 26 at Orlando, 7 p.m., Apple, Fox
May 3 vs. Nashville, 2:30 p.m., Apple, Fox
May 10 at Chicago, 2:30 p.m., Apple
May 14 at Austin, 8:30 p.m., Apple
May 17 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 25 vs. Cincinnati, 7 p.m., Apple
May 28 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m., Apple
May 31 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 12 at NYCFC, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 25 at Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
June 28 at Miami, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 5 at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 12 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 16 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Apple, FS1
July 19 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 26 vs. Seattle, 7:30 p.m., Apple
July 30 vs. Necaxa, Leagues Cup
Aug. 2. vs. Pumas in Orlando, Leagues Cup
Aug. 6 vs. Atlas, Leagues Cup
Aug. 9 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 16 at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., Apple
Aug. 24 vs. Toronto, 5 p.m., Apple
Aug. 30 at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. Apple
Sept. 13 vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 20 vs. San Diego, 4:30 p.m., Apple
Sept. 27 at New England, 7:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 5 at LAFC, 10:30 p.m., Apple
Oct. 18 vs. D.C. United, 6 p.m., Apple
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