SoFi Stadium’s New Hybrid Grass: A Game-Changer for Soccer and Beyond
In a move that could revolutionize the way we think about sports fields, SoFi Stadium is set to unveil its cutting-edge grass field technology during the upcoming Concacaf Nations League games. This initiative is not just a one-off; it’s a strategic test run for the much-anticipated World Cup 2026. The Los Angeles World Cup host committee made this exciting announcement on Thursday, and the buzz is palpable.
Otto Benedict, the senior vice president of facilities and campus operations at SoFi, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm at a recent news conference. “This is really a great opportunity for us to put together and test and learn and then apply those learnings to next year and really create an incredible experience,” he said. It’s clear that the stakes are high, and the team at SoFi is ready to rise to the occasion.
Mark your calendars for March 20, when SoFi Stadium will host the United States against Panama and Mexico vs. Canada in the Concacaf Nations League semifinals. The excitement will culminate in the final on March 23. These matches will serve as the perfect stage to showcase the new “hybrid carpet” technology.
So, what exactly is this hybrid carpet? Stadium staff began installing it back in February, and it’s a fascinating blend of artificial turf and natural grass. The system is built on top of the existing artificial turf used by the stadium’s two NFL teams, the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. It consists of multiple layers, including a grass-growing system known as “the permavoid,” a thin piece of permeable cloth, sand, and finally, the hybrid grass itself.
The permavoid is made of black plastic crates that allow air to circulate beneath the root structure of the field. “We are truly the first that’s doing that,” Benedict told ESPN. “We can aerate the root zone and give oxygen to the bottom of the grass. If the field is too wet and the root zone is too wet, we can turn the machine on and it will suck air down through the grass to cool and dry the grass out.”
This innovative approach promises to offer better strength and stability than a typical grass field. “You’ve got something that’s more solid and essentially sewn in and the natural grass grows with it,” Benedict explained. “In Europe, you have true sod on a sand base and grass that’s growing and stays consistent.”
Even former U.S. men’s national team star Cobi Jones was impressed. “To me, it seems like grass,” he told ESPN. “I’m trying to figure out where the ‘hybrid’ is. You can’t even see it. It just looks like grass to me.”
The quality of pitches has been a hot topic, especially after last year’s Copa América, where players and coaches criticized the conditions at many NFL stadiums. “You’re playing on a football field, with laid grass that’s all patchy and it breaks up every step you take. It’s frustrating,” USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie said after playing at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta last summer.
At SoFi, the grass will be growing under a roof structure that doesn’t receive direct sunlight. To counter this, the staff will move LED grow lights across the field day and night. Additionally, another 10,000 square feet of hybrid grass is growing in the SoFi parking lot, ready to replace any worn sections of the field. “We want to test that and we also want to see what the grass is doing when it is in the sunlight versus what’s in here artificially,” Benedict said. “We’re taking every opportunity to see what little nuance is happening.”
Maintaining this hybrid field is no small feat. It requires a staff of more than 30 people, double what NFL teams need for their artificial turf fields at SoFi. The new hybrid field, which sits more than two feet higher than the NFL field due to the permavoid system, will be removed after the USWNT’s match against Brazil on April 5. This is to make way for concerts and the 2025 NFL season. However, the field will be reinstalled next April for the eight World Cup games SoFi is hosting, including the USMNT’s opener on June 12.
- SoFi Stadium is testing new hybrid grass technology.
- The technology combines artificial turf and natural grass.
- It will be used for Concacaf Nations League games and World Cup 2026.
- The system includes a unique “permavoid” for aeration.
- Maintenance requires a team of over 30 people.
Originally Written by: Tisha Thompson
