It’s been a few days since the FIFA World Cup took out the natural grass fields from certain NFL stadiums in the U.S., and now we’re back to artificial turf. This isn’t great news for NFL players.
The NFL Players Association is contemplating whether to prioritize turf fields during upcoming collective bargaining talks, according to union officials. However, a final decision on this hasn’t been made yet.
The issue has gained attention because players watched World Cup matches played on grass in six NFL stadiums typically covered in turf. The climax of the tournament occurred at MetLife Stadium, where Argentina faced Spain on North Carolina-Bermuda grass.
This has sparked a desire among NFL players for grass fields, believed to be more forgiving on the body and less prone to causing injuries.
Yet, MetLife is scheduled to switch back to turf soon for the upcoming seasons featuring the New York Giants and Jets, and other venues that hosted World Cup matches have already replaced their $1 million turf fields with artificial options.
Many NFL players, feeling frustrated about the return to turf, are pushing on social media to maintain grass fields. In partnership with the NFLPA, players like George Kittle from the San Francisco Giants and Caleb Williams from the Chicago Bears have voiced their support for turf fields across the league.
But realistically, this campaign is unlikely to yield results. It’s a tough sell—it hinges on NFL owners making choices that might cost them money, like needing to change out turf more frequently due to events or limiting those events.
Given this, the NFLPA is weighing the idea of bringing up their members’ strong preferences in both informal and formal negotiations with hopes of including it in the next labor agreement, which is up for expiration in March 2031.
One NFLPA official mentioned that when it comes to negotiations, asking for something often means needing to give something up—in this case, money might be at stake. Athletes could face cuts in earnings.
If the collective bargaining agreement were to enforce grass fields, players would likely need to concede other benefits. The league may insist on sharing the costs of installation and maintenance for turf areas, or they might push for additional regular-season and international games in exchange for grass surfaces.
Without negotiations on the table, players will remain subject to owners’ decisions regarding replacements of turf in response to these desires.
“It’s hope, but hope alone isn’t the best strategy for achieving what you want,” a player association official remarked.
Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills plan to conform to these expectations, already setting turf at the new Highmark Stadium for the upcoming season. That still leaves 14 other NFL stadiums, where 16 home teams continue using artificial turf, including some that hosted World Cup matches on grass.
