This summer, the world’s soccer spotlight turns to the United States as it welcomes the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, a first-of-its-kind expanded tournament featuring 32 of the world’s top clubs from six continental confederations​. Far more than a mid-year showcase of elite talent, this event doubles as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, testing stadium infrastructure, operations and the playing surfaces that will soon host the sport’s biggest stage.

And at the center of that stage? Real grass.

In a moment of significance for the turfgrass industry, FIFA’s Club World Cup 2025 will be played on natural grass surfaces across 11 host cities in the U.S. These include Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Many of the same stadiums are expected to be used for the World Cup in 2026. Some are large NFL venues, while others are MLS stadiums that don’t meet FIFA’s capacity requirements for World Cup matches. The Club World Cup offers a preview of how all of these facilities are stepping up to meet FIFA’s rigorous standards for player safety and field performance.

Participating Clubs

Notable participating clubs include Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Flamengo. American clubs Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders will also compete. The format will be eight groups of four teams and the top two from each group will advance to the knockout stage. Games will begin June 14 and run through mid-July, with a total prize pool of $1 billion and the winning club potentially earning up to $100 million.

2026 World Cup

The Club World Cup is being treated by FIFA as a massive operational tune-up for the 2026 World Cup, which will span three countries (U.S., Canada, Mexico), 16 cities and 104 matches. The U.S. will bear the brunt of that load—making this summer’s tournament a crucial opportunity to optimize everything from transportation and staffing to fan engagement and field management practices.

This is the traffic equivalent of hosting 104 Super Bowls for the 48 participating teams. While all venues and decisions are still underway, the World Cup will require over 420 ground managers across all stadiums and practice facilities that will span over 3,000 miles of distance from Vancouver to Mexico City. That is the widest footprint in World Cup history.

There has been a multi-year research collaboration between the University of Michigan, the University of Tennessee and FIFA. They have worked hard to develop turf systems suitable for various climates and stadium types, including hybrid grass systems and advanced drainage solutions for indoor venues. Domed stadiums will install grow lights to support photosynthesis and active plant growth.

Each stadium will have its own variety of grass but in 2026 all game venues will be required to have natural grass. Turfgrass growers supplying the venues will be based across the country, but each will be required to follow FIFA’s Natural Turf Guidelines, which detail best practices for pitch construction and maintenance, including grass selection based on climate and soil conditions for consistent playing surfaces. While specific growing standards haven’t been publicly detailed, there are numerous individuals and planning committees underway to execute this for next summer’s games.

A Platform for American Turfgrass Innovation

The 2025 Club World Cup marks the first time many international teams and their millions of fans will experience what the United States has to offer as a host nation. Even better, it gives American turfgrass innovation a global stage. Natural grass is back in elite soccer, and trusted varieties like NorthBridge® and Latitude 36® are taking center field. With 2026 already on the horizon, the Club World Cup is not just a rehearsal. It is a chance for U.S. turfgrass to raise the bar worldwide.