Will the World Cup finally force NFL owners to switch to natural grass? The Cowboys debate says probably not

When AT&T Stadium - sorry, Dallas Stadium - hosts matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the field will look very different from what Dallas Cowboys players are used to. Natural grass will replace the stadium’s artificial turf, because FIFA requires it.

That contradiction has reignited one of the NFL’s longest-running debates. If grass is mandatory for the world’s biggest soccer tournament, why is it not the standard for football as well?

A global standard… but not for the NFL

FIFA requires that all World Cup matches be played on natural grass, viewed as the optimal surface for performance and player safety. That requirement has already forced multiple NFL venues, including AT&T Stadium, to prepare temporary grass installations.

But once the tournament ends, those same stadiums are expected to revert right back to synthetic turf. Much to the chagrin of the players.

According to NFLPA data, roughly 92% of players prefer natural grass over artificial turf. The reasons go far beyond comfort. Many believe it directly impacts injury risk and long-term health. Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb recently made that stance public, reposting the statistic and adding a simple message directed at the league: “please?”

To rub salt in the wound, Dallas will also put curtains on the windows of the stadium so the sun doesn’t come blaring in and blind the players, something they refuse to do for their own players.

Concerns about turf aren’t new, but they’ve intensified in recent years. League data has previously shown higher rates of non-contact lower-body injuries on artificial surfaces, including increases in knee, foot, and ankle injuries compared to grass. High-profile incidents have only amplified the issue. When Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury shortly after stepping onto the field in 2023, the conversation surged back into the spotlight.

Jerry Jones’ stance: follow the money

For owners, however, the calculation is quite different. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has consistently defended the Cowboys’ use of turf, dismissing the idea that grass is safer and pointing instead to economics.

Artificial surfaces are cheaper to maintain, more durable, and allow stadiums to host more events year-round without worrying about field degradation. Jones has even argued that stronger business ultimately benefits players financially because higher revenues feed into the league’s salary structure.

The logic, however, has drawn criticism. Players don’t receive direct bonuses based on whether a team saves money on field maintenance. Their earnings are tied to contracts and revenue splits, not operational efficiencies like turf vs. grass. So even if turf improves the bottom line, it doesn’t exactly translate into meaningful gains for individual players.

So… will anything actually change?

Probably not....at least not immediately. Despite growing pressure from players and mounting public scrutiny, there’s little indication that NFL owners are ready to mandate a league-wide switch to natural grass.

The reasons are practical: Higher installation and maintenance costs, reduced flexibility for multi-use stadiums, and climate and infrastructure challenges in certain markets (including Dallas). And perhaps most importantly, there’s no unified push strong enough (yet) to force change at the bargaining table.

Could players push harder?

If the NFLPA chooses to prioritize field surfaces in future collective bargaining negotiations, the issue could gain real traction. But the players would likely need to provide hard evidence that injury risk is indeed greater. Right now, though, it remains more of a public pressure campaign than a formal labor battle.

Players like Lamb speaking out is significant, but it’s not the same as a coordinated effort across the league.

The World Cup spotlight

For a global audience, NFL stadiums will temporarily showcase pristine natural grass fields, proving that, at least technically, the switch is possible. Whether that visual contrast leads to long-term change is another question entirely.

Because once the final whistle blows and the tournament moves on, the Cowboys, and much of the NFL, are expected to go right back to turf. And the debate will start all over again.

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