Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
“It was a no-brainer to get John [Sorochan, Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management] and his team from UT,” says FIFA Senior Pitch Management Manager Alan Ferguson. “When you come here, and you see the team that he’s built here, it gives us the ability to sleep at night because this is not an easy gig.”
All eyes are on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and its research work with FIFA to develop the best possible pitches for the 16 stadiums hosting FIFA World Cup 26. This first-of-its-kind research is specifically focused on creating safe and consistent fields of play for the world’s most-watched sporting event.
And it won’t end with the championship match. The work will have a far-reaching impact for athletes from youth leagues to the professional ranks.
To learn more about this research, visit https://www.utk.edu/turfgrass/research/
Footage from stadiums produced before FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
================
Go Vols!
#utknoxville is on your favorite social media channels:
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/utknoxville
X: twitter.com/UTKnoxville
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/UTKnoxville
See what’s happening at https://www.utk.edu.
MusicBed Sync ID: MB01ZUEN6NVRTGQ
“It was a no-brainer to get John [Sorochan, Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management] and his team from UT,” says FIFA Senior Pitch Management Manager Alan Ferguson. “When you come here, and you see the team that he’s built here, it gives us the ability to sleep at night because this is not an easy gig.”
All eyes are on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and its research work with FIFA to develop the best possible pitches for the 16 stadiums hosting FIFA World Cup 26. This first-of-its-kind research is specifically focused on creating safe and consistent fields of play for the world’s most-watched sporting event.
And it won’t end with the championship match. The work will have a far-reaching impact for athletes from youth leagues to the professional ranks.
To learn more about this research, visit https://www.utk.edu/turfgrass/research/
Footage from stadiums produced before FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
================
Go Vols!
#utknoxville is on your favorite social media channels:
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/utknoxville
X: twitter.com/UTKnoxville
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/UTKnoxville
See what’s happening at https://www.utk.edu.
MusicBed Sync ID: MB01ZUEN6NVRTGQ
