As FIFA commandeers 11 NFL stadiums, the venues that have artificial turf for football will be installing high-quality natural grass for soccer. The NFL Players Association has issued a reminder that the owners will give players in a different sport the surface that NFL players almost uniformly prefer.
"The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in one month, and work is underway to install fresh grass surfaces in NFL stadiums for the world's top soccer players," the NFLPA posted Monday on Twitter. "NFL players have spent years advocating for safer, high-quality grass fields at their place of work, but when the World Cup is over, most of these stadiums will revert back to turf for the NFL season. Our players deserve workplaces that prioritize their preference, protect them against the weekly wear and tear of the game, and support their long-term health and performance."
The league's position is that the injury rate on grass and on turf are the same. That overlooks the reality that players strongly prefer grass, regardless of injury rates.
Grass fields absorb the forces created by the human body. Turf fields send the forces back into the player's joints and bones. Anyone who has ever done anything on artificial turf knows the difference the next morning, the moment they try to climb out of bed.
The reality is that the owners who are hosting World Cup games installed grass fields because FIFA demanded it. Put simply, they had no choice. When it comes to NFL games, they have a choice. And many are still choosing a surface that is cheaper to maintain and easier to handle when it's time to generate revenue through other events.
Now, it's a collective bargaining issue. The owners will be inclined to hold the line on the current number of artificial turf fields, because the players want grass. To get grass, they'll need to give up something else.
That's not universal. The Bills' new stadium will have grass. Because the Bills are willing to admit that grass is better.
The willingness to put the good of the players over the bottom line is hardly universal. And it won't change until the owners have no choice. Which means that the NFLPA will have to make a major concession in order to get the working conditions they prefer.
