Grass field at AT&T Stadium removed after final World Cup match in North Texas
ARLINGTON, Texas - Just two days after the final World Cup match was played in North Texas, the grass field used for that match is gone.
Grass removed at AT&T Stadium
What we know:
The grass pitch that was used for the nine FIFA World Cup matches played in North Texas was removed on Thursday morning.
Presumably, a turf field will be reinstalled at the stadium for Dallas Cowboys games this fall.
The removal of the grass comes after weeks of hard work ensuring the quality was up to World Cup snuff.
Crews cut the grass two or three times on match days. Sprinklers frequently went off during pregame, postgame and even during hydration breaks.
What we don't know:
It’s not yet clear what FIFA plans to do with the grass from Dallas Stadium.
While there has been speculation that it will be donated to a local organization, FIFA announced earlier this week that it is selling pieces of the grass pitch from New York-New Jersey Stadium after Saturday’s final match.
FIFA selling pieces of grass field from New York/New Jersey Stadium after final, segments are $450 each
You can own a piece of history from the FIFA World Cup 2026. FIFA is selling pieces of the grass pitch from New York-New Jersey Stadium.
Dallas Stadium no more
Local perspective:
The removal of the stadium's grass pitch was the second major reversal from changes made for the World Cup.
Workers were spotted on the roof early Wednesday morning removing the tarps that had covered up the AT&T logos during the tournament.
AT&T Stadium was known as Dallas Stadium for the duration of the World Cup due to FIFA sponsorship rules.
NFL players gripe about field
Dig deeper:
Featured
Grass fields for FIFA World Cup have NFL players asking for same playing surfaces
NFL players see the proverbial green carpet being rolled out for soccer players at their own stadiums, and are wondering why they aren't receiving the same quality of playing surfaces.
The head of the NFLPA expressed frustration that soccer players were gifted the grass fields at their own stadiums that NFL players have been stumping for for years.
"FIFA, they’re rolling out the grass green carpet for the soccer players," JC Tretter said on a podcast appearance in May.
Tretter says the preference isn't about injuries; the number of injuries on grass fields has worsened, while turf field injuries have stayed steady. He says it's because of the quality of the grass fields currently in use.
"We want good, solid fields. You don't just want, like, pull out the mini golf course, grass out on every field. You want high quality surfaces."
The Source: Information in this story comes from the FIFA World Cup.