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While the World Cup tends to bring controversy each year, a new terrain has been put forth. The grass in NFL stadiums used at the 2026 World Cup, which traditionally featured artificial turf during the American football season, has been taken out and replaced with the latter at the tournament's conclusion.
Many around the NFL world have advocated for the move from turf to grass despite the price uptick. Players have stated that they are worth the cost, as seen in the #WorthTheCost hashtag used on social media by many NFL athletes, who are required to play on a natural playing field.
Artificial turf has been seen as a common factor in many devastating injuries that have occurred recently in the NFL, and players want the same luxuries soccer's best got at this summer's tournament.
Here's the rundown on why many around the NFL want better and more widespread grass fields instead of turf.
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What does #WorthTheCost mean?
#WorthTheCost is a hashtag many personalities around the NFL have used to signify their stance in a desire for grass playing surfaces around the league. The 2026 World Cup, which required each of the 11 stadiums in the U.S. to use natural grass instead of turf, only heightened some players' desire to play on the same grounds as soccer royalty.
The meaning "Worth The Cost" essentially means that players are worth the extra cost of implementing natural grass. While turf is a cheaper alternative, the playing surface has been a factor for many significant injuries around the NFL.
Why is soccer always played on grass?
While many people who have played soccer growing up can recount times they've played on an artificial turf field, professional soccer is typically played on grass fields.
According to FIFA's official stadium guidelines, grass fields are best suited for fields in an open environment that features free circulation of natural air, along with no significant shadowing from surrounding stands or other nearby objects.
Another pitch type, called hybrid, features grass that is mixed with a synthetic model grown on a mat. Many stadiums around the world that have a purpose other than hosting soccer matches use this model for a surface that is more resistant to wear and tear.
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Which NFL stadiums have turf?
Heading into the 2025 season, there were 15 stadiums that house teams that play on either artificial or FieldTurf surfaces, according to Pro Football Network. The number amounts to half of the league's stadiums featuring a turf surface of some kind, with MetLife Stadium and SoFi Stadium housing more than one team.
Here are the 15 stadiums that have a turf playing surface:
- AT&T Stadium - Dallas Cowboys
- Bank of America Stadium - Carolina Panthers
- Caesars Superdome - New Orleans Saints
- Ford Field - Detroit Lions
- Gillette Stadium - New England Patriots
- Highmark Stadium - Buffalo Bills
- Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis Colts
- Lumen Field - Seattle Seahawks
- MetLife Stadium - New York Giants and New York Jets
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium - Atlanta Falcons
- Nissan Stadium - Tennessee Titans
- NRG Stadium - Houston Texans
- Paycor Stadium - Cincinnati Bengals
- SoFi Stadium - Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams
- U.S. Bank Stadium - Minnesota Vikings
Why does NFL use turf?
The main reason half of the NFL stadiums feature artificial playing surfaces is that they are much cheaper and easier to maintain. Player damages and cleat marks are virtually nonexistent compared to the same amount of force on a grass surface.
As a plant, grass fields require vast amounts of water in order to be well-maintained. The year-round process of this would set franchises back a significant sum of money compared to synthetic turf. Along with that, stadiums that frequently host concerts or other large gatherings may have a lot less trouble setting up a usable surface.
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Natural grass vs. turf fields difference
The main difference between a natural grass and turf playing surface involves how players move around while playing their respective sport. When a player's foot slides on a natural grass field, the surface is very forgiving. The ground will move with the player, versus a turf field that stands firm. If enough force is applied on the grass field, the surface may divot and fling grass upwards.
One of the few positives of artificial turf does not involve the health of players. Organizations may prefer the use of artificial turf for its drainage capabilities. According to Go Turf, artificial turf drains rainfall and other forms of water drastically better than natural grass does. Turf also does not need to be repaired as much after each match compared to grass fields. Player cleat marks or divots from a fall are much more evident compared to what is seen on an artificial turf field.
How much do natural grass fields cost?
The average high-quality natural grass field costs around $400,000 to $570,000 to build, according to Healthy Playing Surfaces. In addition to the rough six-figure amount, $13,000 to $30,000 needs to be dedicated to maintenance costs.
The NFL may have a higher price tag to ensure the grass surface is of pristine quality. Price may also fluctuate depending on transportation costs from state to state.
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NFL injuries on turf
According to the NFL Players Association, non‑contact lower‑extremity injuries run about 28 percent higher on artificial fields compared to their natural grass counterparts. Inside of that initial percentage, 32 percent of those players had a higher rate of non-contact knee injuries on turf, and a whopping 69 percent higher rate of non-contact foot or ankle injuries on turf compared to grass. Artificial turf fields, which are much less forgiving and do not move with a player, have been the source of outcry due to various devastating injuries around the NFL.
After months of buildup at the franchise's first star quarterback since perhaps Joe Namath, the New York Jets had their season essentially ended after just four snaps when Aaron Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles injury in 2024. The main culprit? MetLife Stadium's notorious artificial playing surface.
"What we want is good grass fields. Good, solid fields," NFL Players Association executive director JC Tretter said on the "Not Just Football" podcast, per ESPN. "You don't just want to pull out the [municipal] golf course grass. I think one thing is understanding what our players care about. And there is something there that the data hasn't been able to spit back out at us. Which if you ask every player that we polled, 1,700 players, 92% say they want grass over turf.
"There is something about the feeling of being on grass, the body feels different. I think if you ask the coaches, just standing on grass vs. standing on turf for three hours feels different. There is something there that impacts the body."
