Grass growing fine in Mercedes-Benz Stadium with World Cup coming

The grass that will be put down in Mercedes-Benz Stadium for this summer’s World Cup should roll true, free of the trampoline effect that affected the Copa America and to a lesser extent the Club World Cup, and should easily stay alive for the tournament’s month’s worth of match dates, a FIFA official said Tuesday.

Speaking at a FIFA conference in Atlanta, Ewen Hodge, senior pitch infrastructure manager for the tournament, said the combination of putting in plastic, 2 inches of sand and sod will increase the weight of the field, reducing the bounciness of the pitch.

“Between those two elements, they’re going to make a massive change,” he said.

Irrigation and a SubAir system that will help the sod and the surface — which will include natural grass and synthetic fibers — bind together have also been installed at the stadium.

Hodge said he has visited the stadium several times, including Tuesday morning, to monitor the progress of the grass. Atlanta United will play on the surface Saturday. This version of the surface will be removed and a new one installed ahead of the stadium’s first World Cup match June 15.

Hodge said the key to keeping the grass alive will be the pink-hued glow lights purchased last year ahead of the Club World Cup. He said similar lights have been used to keep grass growing for two years in a light house in Knoxville, Tennessee, where FIFA has conducted research on grass for several years for the tournament.

“Grow lights are the beating heart of a field,” he said.