
Since the 1960s, MSU has been a leader in turfgrass development, having created the indoor grass for Detroit's Pontiac Silverdome during the 1994 World Cup soccer tournament.
For the second time, Michigan State University's Turfgrass Management Team, led by John N. "Trey" Rogers III, Ph.D., will partner with FIFA to grow, install and maintain the playing surfaces for the FIFA World Cup.
Partnering with University of Tennessee Turfgrass Science and Management, led by MSU alumni John Sorochan, Ph.D., MSU faculty and students have spent the past four years growing sod, testing techniques and implementing strategies to prepare 16 different host sites for the 2026 World Cup.
Read more about FIFA partnership
News
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MSU AgBioResearch, Extension to host in-person 2022 field days
Published on May 27, 2022
From June to September, MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension researchers and outreach specialists will be presenting at field days across the state, covering topics from hops and wheat to dairy and regenerative agriculture. -
Lawn turf update – May 11, 2022
Published on May 11, 2022
Lawns have been slow growing this spring with the unusually cold and wet conditions, but the recent warmup has lawns and weeds springing to life. -
MSU researchers part of team investigating winter stresses of turfgrass in northern climates
Published on January 24, 2022
Led by the University of Minnesota, the group received an $8M USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant -
Michigan Turfgrass Foundation makes $1 million lead gift to Michigan State University to endow a chair in Turfgrass Pathology
Published on January 5, 2022
A $1 million gift from the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation to the Michigan State University (MSU) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) launches a $5 million campaign to endow the Joe Vargas Chair in Turfgrass Pathology. -
Fall armyworm damage on putting greens
Published on October 21, 2021
Fall armyworms were recently observed causing damage on a research putting green at the MSU Hancock Turfgrass Research Center.
MSU Turfgrass in the news
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World Cup watch: MSU students, staff ready for global competition, to showcase sod
Published on June 3, 2025 by Michigan Farm News
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Local turf farm works with FIFA to bring World Cup-ready field to Philly
Published on May 29, 2025 by NBC-10 Philadelphia
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Pitch Perfect: FIFA teams with turf gurus to create fields for Club World Cup, World Cup
Published on April 16, 2025 by Miami Herald
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MSU turfgrass research assisting FIFA World Cup '26
Published on November 26, 2024 by The Detroit News
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Inside FIFA’s $3M World Cup Research Deal With Tennessee, Michigan State
Published on October 30, 2024 by Sportico
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Researchers work to make pitch-perfect turf for the 2026 World Cup
Published on October 9, 2024 by NPR
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World Cup 2026 Aims for Perfect Soccer Pitch
Published on August 30, 2024 by Newsweek
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FIFA-Led Research Designing World Cup 2026 Fields
Published on April 12, 2024 by Forbes