23mm grass, pink lights and NFL locker rooms: a behind the scenes stadium look ahead of France vs Spain

Spanish and French players will walk through the same tunnel on Tuesday that leads from the locker rooms to the field, and it’s impossible not to be struck by the scale of it all. The 80,000-seat stadium in Dallas is one of the most imposing venues at this World Cup. From the enormous locker rooms – built for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys – to the oversized dugouts at field level, customized with flags, everything about the stadium feels cutting-edge.

World Cup grass in Dallas for France vs Spain

That includes the field itself. Every aspect of the grass has been meticulously managed to ensure it meets FIFA’s standards for what is arguably the biggest match of the tournament so far.

“It’s in good condition. We’ve had eight days off since our last match here,” said Ian Craig, the man responsible for the playing surface. “This will be our ninth game, and so far it’s the biggest game of the World Cup. We’ve given the grass a little rest and the chance to recover. Then we reinforce it and bring it back to the same standard and condition. As throughout the tournament, it will be kept at 23 millimeters, which is in line with European regulations.”

Although natural light reaches the field through the open ends of the stadium and its translucent roof, a series of enormous pink grow lights suspended from the ceiling provide the extra light the grass needs to thrive.

Where did the grass come from?

General manager Tod Martin also highlighted the extensive transformation the stadium underwent ahead of the tournament, including the enormous challenge of replacing its artificial surface with natural grass.

“It included upgrades to all of the team facilities and key fan areas, as well as the complex installation and maintenance of the natural grass,” Martin explained. “The grass was grown in Colorado and installed by Precision Turf. It was carefully prepared, transported to Arlington and then laid here.”

The atmosphere in the stands is expected to be just as spectacular. The view is outstanding from every seat, including the highest sections of the 299-foot-tall stadium, the tallest of its kind in the world. It features seven hospitality clubs and 309 luxury suites.

“We’ll be playing Rosalía and Quevedo to get the Spanish fans going,” said Jesús Salazar, the stadium’s official DJ and head of music.

Nothing has been left to chance at a venue where Spain could make history on Tuesday.

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