The 2026 World Cup’s secret weapon? Grass grown by an MSU professor and his students

Dr. Trey Rogers, a turfgrass management professor at Michigan State University, and his students have developed the specialized grass used for the 2026 World Cup, building on decades of collaboration with FIFA and innovations dating back to the 1994 tournament. Their research led to the creation of durable, portable turfgrass—now an industry standard—grown on sod farms and installed in stadiums across North America. Rogers credits both his students and sod farmers as key contributors to this achievement. The project underscores the importance of behind-the-scenes expertise in creating world-class playing surfaces for major sporting events.