FIFA’s one move just brought back the debate over whether NFL games should be played on grass or artificial turf. For the 2026 World Cup, natural grass was installed at SoFi Stadium and six other NFL stadiums. While recent league data suggests there’s no significant difference in injury rates, players clearly have a preference. With FIFA showing that grass can be installed, even Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis has voiced support for the idea.

“I just always felt that football should be played on grass,” Mark Davis said. “That’s for safety purposes, No. 1. I want it to look like a game was played, even if it’s an indoor field. You see grass stains and everything else. I wasn’t going to a stadium without it being grass once I knew that capability was there. Obviously, it added a lot of cost, but it’s worth it.”

Switching more NFL stadiums from artificial turf to natural grass would cost teams a lot of money. There are currently 14 NFL stadiums with artificial turf, and changing them to grass would require millions of dollars. The Raiders and Arizona Cardinals already have special systems that move natural grass fields in and out of their domed stadiums.

However, those systems are expensive and need a large amount of extra land. Even with these high costs, Raiders owner Mark Davis believes having a natural grass field is worth it because he thinks it is better for the players.

Older data does prove it. According to NFL injury data from 2012 to 2018, players got more leg, knee, foot, and ankle injuries when playing on artificial turf than on natural grass. The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) found that players had 28% more non-contact lower-body injuries on turf. They also had 32% more knee injuries and 69% more foot and ankle injuries on artificial turf compared to natural grass.

There might be some limitations to the entire installment, but there’s still a possibility. NFL Field Director Nick Pappas said NFL fields are different from soccer fields because football players are bigger, the field is narrower, and the game puts more pressure on the grass. Because of this, the same grass system used for the FIFA World Cup may not work as well for a full NFL season.

However, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami shows that it is possible. The stadium uses a special natural grass system, replaces the grass several times each year, hosts more than 50 non-NFL events, and still earned an A-minus rating from NFL players for its field quality.

For now, none of the NFL teams that temporarily installed natural grass for the 2026 FIFA World Cup plans to keep it permanently. Most teams will switch back to artificial turf after the tournament. However, one team is already committed to playing on natural grass.

NFL team switching to a grass stadium

The Buffalo Bills will soon move into their new Highmark Stadium, and one major change will be the playing field. Instead of artificial turf, the team will play on natural grass. The Bills have used artificial turf since 1973, but they decided to switch back to grass even though Buffalo has very cold and snowy winters. To keep the grass healthy, the stadium will use modern technology like underground heating and special grow lights.

General manager Brandon Beane believes these new systems will help the grass stay in good condition throughout the season.

“Buffalo, it’s not 1973 anymore,” Beane told USA TODAY Sports. “We’re in 2025. You’ve seen places like Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and Chicago using technology; that helped us put together a plan to be able to handle the weather here. We feel we have the right grass people and field turf people to help us manage this. And our players are going to benefit from playing on grass.”

The Bills accepted that natural grass would cost more to maintain over time because they believe it is better for their players. According to Sportico, building a new grass field costs between $300,000 and $500,000, and teams may spend about $1 million every year to maintain it. Artificial turf costs more to install at first, but it is easier to take care of and lasts longer.

General manager Brandon Beane said co-owner Kim Pegula strongly supported the switch because she wanted players to stay healthier and have longer careers. Now, it remains to be seen whether more NFL teams will follow the Bills’ player-first approach.