ATLANTA — The first-ever FIFA Club World Cup will start next week, including matches in downtown Atlanta.
But to get ready, crews will have to turn the artificial turf field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium into a pitch of real grass.
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Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the only indoor stadium of the 12 selected around the US for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Crews have worked nearly around the clock installing the hybrid turf, mostly natural with some artificial carpeting woven in.
“This particular grass has been growing between 12-18 months,” said Nick Pappas, MBS Pitch Advisor.
The cool-weather grass was trucked in from a sod farm in Colorado. It will need the roof closed, the temperature steady and grow lights on it for hours in between the six matches over three weeks.
“Grass isn’t used to growing in an indoor environment. Especially when have matches being played as well, wear and tear that comes into play. And that’s where the research came in,” FIFA Venue Manager Stuart Wilson said.
“So it’s a mix of bluegrass and rye grass that’s going to be more responsive and recuperative throughout the tournament,” Pappas said.
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FIFA expects nearly capacity crowds packing around 72,000 seats the stadium with soccer fans from around the country and Europe.
It’s a good test on and off the pitch for next summer’s 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup matches.
That tournament will be even more extensive.
“We’ll learn a lot of things this year, but a little bit of a different situation next year. We won’t do an overlay next year. We’ll do more substantial installation where we actually remove the artificial surface, remove pad beneath it, remove the asphalt, go down about 7-8 inches,” Pappas said.
After the matches wrap up July 4th weekend, the new grass goes away and the field returns to the artificial turf underneath it.
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