A long-simmering field debate between the NFL and NFL Players Association is reaching another flashpoint as the union is again putting public pressure on the league to reject artificial turf fields—and used the spectacle of the FIFA men’s World Cup final as a platform.
The NFLPA leveraged this past weekend’s end of the World Cup to renew its push for grass fields across the league, rolling out a #WorthTheCost social media campaign. The union itself, along with dozens of individual players, posted with that hashtag, emphasizing again that grass fields are the overwhelming preference of the NFLPA and its membership. Half of the league’s 30 stadiums use natural grass, while the other 15 use synthetic turf.
“If it’s good enough for the World Cup, it’s good enough for NFL players,” tweeted NFLPA executive committee member and Bengals linebacker Oren Burks. “Player safety shouldn’t be temporary. Make grass mandatory!”
That effort seeks to bring action to tension rising since the start of the tournament. FIFA requires grass fields for its competitions, and with 11 NFL venues hosting matches over the past month, eight of them with artificial turf temporarily removed those fields for grass.
Reinstallation of the artificial turf is now happening across those facilities in preparation for the 2026 NFL season, again angering players.
