MSU researcher John “Trey” Rogers III, a world-renowned expert in turfgrass. Credit: Michigan State University
By Bianca Licitra
The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off on June 11 with the first of more than a hundred matches to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. By most metrics, the tourney is bigger than ever, with more teams, more matches, and more expected viewers across the globe.
Universities are also in on the action. From research into how to safeguard the health of athletes and spectators to better techniques for growing and maintaining the grass that covers the pitches where the games are played, AAU institutions are contributing directly to the success of this year’s World Cup as well as the sport of soccer more broadly.
Home Field Advantage No More: Better Turfgrass Through Science
All 16 stadiums used for the games will benefit from the results of more than 70 years of turfgrass research at Michigan State University. MSU and University of Tennessee researchers worked together to ensure that the living grass used in stadiums across the three host nations would perform consistently, including indoors under artificial light or outdoors where it’s exposed to the elements.
Researchers developed turf that will ensure that each field will provide the same ball movement, footing, and performance of play for elite athletes across all 16 venues. MSU and UT research not only identified the exact mix of grasses for use in the turf, but also helped control how the turfgrass would be grown, transported, installed, reinforced, and maintained.
MSU and UT researchers selected Rutgers University-bred turfgrasses as the best-performing for 10 of the World Cup stadiums because of their durability. “Rutgers grasses are recognized for having good turf quality and being the best overall in multiple different trials all over the country,” said Stacy Bonos, a professor of turfgrass breeding at Rutgers plant biology department.
By some estimates, Rutgers turfgrass varieties comprise between 35 and 40% of the world’s grass seed production, adding $4.9 billion to New Jersey’s economy and supporting 59,159 jobs in 2019.
Tracking Diseases, Protecting Fans
As millions of fans from around the world enter the United States, public health experts will be on alert for infectious disease outbreaks. Multiple AAU institutions, including the University of Missouri, Boston University, and Brown University will be monitoring data from wastewater treatment plants and health departments to track the spread of disease during the World Cup.
Helping Athletes Shoot, Score, & Recover
AAU institutions are also leaders in sport science and medicine, including research focused on injury prevention and treatment for athletes. Columbia University researchers studied the impact of “heading” the ball on soccer players and demonstrated that the brain sustains damage from heading, even if the impacts do not cause concussions. Researchers at Indiana University are also studying soccer heading and brain injury prevention.
The Ohio State University is partnering with the U.S. Soccer Federation, the governing body behind all of U.S. soccer, to help evolve the science behind athlete recovery. The partnership, which has its roots in the FIFA World Cup 2022, translates “laboratory science into practical tools and protocols for soccer athletes.”
University Research, Behind the Scenes
As action unfolds on the pitch this summer, remember the important contributions of university research behind the scenes. From the turf under players’ feet to the data collection that tracks disease and protects athletes’ brains, this work won’t show up in highlight reels – but it will help ensure that when the whistle blows, fans can just sit back and enjoy the game.
Bianca Licitra is editorial and communications assistant at AAU.