SEATTLE — The United States is receiving an early look at the grass that has been installed at Lumen Field in preparation for this summer’s World Cup.
The USWNT is set to face Japan on Tuesday evening on the newly laid hybrid grass, which combines natural grass with synthetic fibers. The women’s team has not played at Lumen since 2017 due to the presence of artificial turf.
In 2022, the collective bargaining agreement that ensured equal pay for the womenβs team compared to their male counterparts also mandated equitable playing conditions, which included competing exclusively on appropriate grass surfaces.
U.S. coach Emma Hayes emphasized the significance of returning the national team to the Pacific Northwest. Over 35,000 tickets have been sold for the match, setting a new record for a standalone women’s game in Seattle. The previous record was held by Megan Rapinoe’s retirement match with the Seattle Reign in 2023, which attracted 34,130 spectators.
“It was certainly one of my goals. I was eager for the opportunity, and rightly so, the CBA stipulates that we want to play on grass fields. This was a barrier to that happening, and this opportunity allows us to achieve that,” Hayes stated. “Iβm thrilled to embrace it fully and for us to achieve a record attendance for a women’s match in this region.”
FIFA has stringent standards for the playing surfaces at the World Cup. Consequently, every stadium utilized across Canada, the United States, and Mexico for this summer’s tournament must feature similar grass fields.
There are eight World Cup venues, seven located in the United States and one in Canada, that currently have artificial turf. All venues, except for Vancouver’s BC Place, serve as homes for NFL teams.
In Seattle, the installation of the grass commenced in earnest last month. A drainage system and nearly a foot of sand were laid before the sod was placed. The grass and its underlying structure will be removed after the World Cup concludes.
Lumen Field is home to the NFL’s Seahawks, MLS’ Sounders, and the NWSL’s Reign. The Sounders and Reign have been temporarily relocated during the installation process, playing some matches in Spokane.
The Sounders will play their inaugural match on the new grass on Wednesday when they take on Mexican club Tigres in the second leg of a Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal.
Seattle is scheduled to host six World Cup matches starting in June, including four during the group stage and two in the knockout phase.
Information from The Associated Press was utilized in this report.
