The surface of MetLife Stadium has been transformed ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Located five miles west of New York City, the $1.6billion venue will host nine games for the expanded international soccer tournament this summer, including the final.
MetLife Stadium has introduced a grass surface for soccer’s Club World CupGettyThe showpiece event is scheduled for Sunday, July 13, and the month-long tournament will act as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
And it seems MetLife Stadium is rolling out the red carpet — in the form of real grass — for the arriving soccer stars.
While two NFL franchises, the New York Jets and New York Giants, have played games in East Rutherford since 2010, the stadium utilized an artificial turf called UBU Speed S5-M for the majority of its operating years.
In 2023, it changed to FieldTurf Core HD, which is described as the first multi-layer dual-polymer monofilament fiber surface.
The new and improved surface is said to be more durable and was installed with the belief that it would decrease the number of injuries that occur, despite Aaron Rodgers suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in late 2023.
However, new turf wasn’t good enough for FIFA, with the organizers of the Club World Cup ensuring that grass has been installed at the 82,500-capacity MetLife ahead of the tournament.
Footage shared on social media on Wednesday showed what the stadium looks like with the vibrant new field, and it caught the attention of one Giants star.
Jermaine Eluemunor, who joined the team last season, is rather unimpressed.
He re-posted the video with a meme that appears to question why the grass surface will be used for soccer, and not the NFL.
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) also responded to the video, re-sharing it with the caption: ‘Looks nice.’
Giants star Eluemunor has responded to the decision to bring grass to the MetLifeX: @JEluemunorThey also added the hashtag ‘safer fields’ to their X post.
Of course, the debate between artificial turf and real grass has raged for years in the NFL, and extends much further than MetLife Stadium.
Ahead of the 2025 season, 14 of the league’s 30 full-time stadiums have a grass surface.
The other 16 use various types of turf.
While grass is widely considered a safer surface, and is said to be preferred amongst NFL players, the sticking point has long been that it is harder to maintain than turf, and is less durable in challenging climates.
Some indoor stadiums also find it tough to maintain natural grass with limited access to sunlight.
A majority of the NFL’s 30 stadiums still use turf instead of real grassGettyThe NFLPA has long lobbied for the entire league to adopt grass surfaces, pushing back against the above arguments.
“Climate and weather are not barriers to natural grass practice or game fields,” a statement on the NFLPA website reads.
“Cold-climate teams like the Packers, Steelers and Browns successfully maintain natural grass fields.
“Indoor stadiums shouldn’t be a barrier for grass fields, either. The Cardinals and Raiders have figured out how to provide a natural grass playing surface indoors.
NFL stadiums with grass surface
The NFL currently has 14 stadiums with a grass surface
Arizona Cardinals – State Farm StadiumBaltimore Ravens – M&T Bank StadiumChicago Bears – Soldier FieldCleveland Browns – Huntington Bank FieldDenver Broncos – Empower Field at Mile HighJacksonville Jaguars – EverBank StadiumKansas City Chiefs – Arrowhead StadiumTampa Bay Buccaneers – Raymond James StadiumWashington Commanders – Northwest StadiumPittsburgh Steelers – Acrisure StadiumSan Francisco 49ers – Levi’s StadiumMiami Dolphins – Hard Rock StadiumGreen Bay Packers – Lambeau FieldLas Vegas Raiders – Allegiant Stadium
“Agronomically, natural grass field surfaces are possible everywhere.”
While the debate will no doubt continue, the arrival of grass at MetLife Stadium has certainly ruffled some NFL feathers.
Expect further questions to be raised in the next 12 months, too, given that ahead of next summer’s World Cup, FIFA is putting resources into developing new strategies to bring grass to all of the NFL stadiums that will host soccer games.
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