MSU receives investment to grow turfgrass for the FIFA World Cup

MSU Today with Russ White

In 2026, Michigan State University will play a major role in one of the biggest sporting events in the world by teaming up with The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA.

The FIFA World Cup 26 tournament will be held from June 8 to July 3. MSU will be supplying the turfgrass that will be installed in 16 cities spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico (involving different climates and elevations) for 104 game play matches.

For over 70 years, MSU’s world-renowned turfgrass program, housed in MSU’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, has been a leader in turfgrass research. The portable turfgrass system that John “Trey” Rogers, professor of turfgrass research at MSU, and his team developed for the 1994 World Cup games proved that turfgrass could be grown indoors and be installed and removed from a venue. This system has become the industry standard for using turfgrass in stadiums across the country and around the world.

Rogers is partnering with John Sorochan, a Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management at the University of Tennessee. Sorochan was a graduate student of Rogers’ and worked on the World Cup project in 1994. Now, Rogers and Sorochan are co-principal investigators for the 2026 competition.

Conversation Highlights:

(0:59) – Trey, how long have you been at MSU, and what first attracted you here?

(1:32) – John, what first attracted you to MSU?

(1:59) – Talk about the history and evolving mission of MSU’s turfgrass program.

(3:40) – What makes MSU’s turfgrass program so good, and what are some of the program’s research strengths?

(7:55) – Talk about the 2026 project and how it compares to the 1994 project.

(13:32) – What are some of the challenges in growing grass in these different regions of North America?

(15:50) – What happens between now and 2026?

(18:09) – The students working on the project are getting an incredible experience.

(20:40) – What are some of the ways you test the grass? What is the fLEX?

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