FIFA – Pitch Management “Field Day”

FIFA held its FIFA World Cup 2026™ Pitch Management “Field Day” this week (Feb. 25-26) in Knoxville, Tenn, alongside research partners from the University of Tennessee and Michigan State University. The “Field Day” event shared developments and updates surrounding the groundbreaking work being completed to prepare the best possible pitches and playing surfaces for this summer’s World Cup.

“The research program has been the cornerstone to the success we’ve had to date and will help us deliver what I believe will be a fantastic group of pitches for the World Cup,” said FIFA Senior Pitch Management Manager Alan Ferguson. “I am not sure the fans of the world when they come here will appreciate all of what’s gone on, but certainly on behalf of FIFA, we are very grateful the way everybody has received us over here and helped us to where we are today. And with 103 days to go, we’re ready to go.”  

When Host Cities and venues were announced in June 2022, FIFA’s Pitch Management Team implemented a five-year research and development project to produce perfect surfaces for the tournament and consistency for the players, irrespective of the climate or stadium type in which they would be participating across 16 cities in North America.

That partnership with the University of Tennessee and Michigan State University has since been expanded to include the biggest-ever FIFA Club World Cup through progressive use of technology that can benefit both player welfare and the spectacle of 104 matches across this summer’s historic global sporting event.