The stadiums that usually host National Football League (NFL) games required several months of preparation and refurbishment work to comply with the regulations of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) for the World Cup, in terms of suites, the pitch surface, and branding.

Since the soccer field in the United States is larger than an American football field, several of the 11 selected stadiums in the United States had to remove parts of their stands, especially front-row seats or corner sections.

At Lincoln Financial Field (69,000 seats) in Philadelphia, the process cost “several million dollars” to demolish concrete stands and replace them with metal structures, according to Frank Gumienny, Chief Operating Officer of the Philadelphia Eagles, speaking to Agence France-Presse.

He added: “They were installed last year for the Club World Cup, and now they can be moved inwards or outwards in about one week.”

At SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (70,000 seats), 100 seats were removed from each corner to create a playing area that meets regulatory standards.

FIFA had initially requested fields with a width of 80 meters, but none of the stadiums were able to meet that requirement, according to Otto Benedict, Executive Vice President of the company operating the stadium, which opened in 2020.

According to local media, the SoFi Stadium pitch measures 105 meters in length and 68 meters in width, which is the standard used in all US stadiums during the World Cup.

Benedict said: “I think they worked very well with us and with NFL stadiums to determine how far we could go.”

2026 World Cup. (AFP)

SoFi Stadium removed two additional rows of seats in two corners of the stadium to create more space.

One official said: “They wanted at least three meters, and we were able to reach five meters… those sitting in the corners will have exceptional seats, very close to the pitch.”

Another challenge was replacing artificial turf with natural or hybrid grass capable of withstanding heat and humidity, or alternatively cold conditions in air-conditioned stadiums.

In the city of Houston, the underground irrigation systems at NRG Stadium, renamed “Houston Stadium” during the World Cup, were reactivated. These systems had originally been installed when the stadium was built.

The organizing committee also brought in a high-performance mineral material from the Netherlands to improve grass growth.

In addition, since the stadium is air-conditioned, its roof will remain closed to protect fans and players from the heatwave of around 40 degrees Celsius expected in summer.

Hussein Nagi, general manager of the NRG Park complex, which includes the stadium and will host five matches, said: “It is a playing surface designed for a cold climate that was shipped from Denver, Colorado.”

At AT&T Stadium in Arlington near Dallas, which is also air-conditioned and the largest stadium in the tournament with a capacity of 94,000 spectators, purple lighting was installed to stimulate the growth of the new grass. It consists of 18 long metal arms equipped with lamps and connected to the stadium’s upper structure.

The stadium’s general manager, Todd Martin, had visited Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Stadium in London, both of which use similar systems.

Martin explained in a statement to AFP that this system “provides all the lighting needed for the grass to grow and develop in the best possible way.”

The Dallas stadium will host nine matches, including the semifinal scheduled for July 14.

In Miami, things were simpler, as Hard Rock Stadium (65,000 seats) already uses a hybrid surface, and the Miami Dolphins’ field is fully suitable for football. The stadium will host seven matches, including the third place match.

Stadiums were also required to remove all signage bearing the names of traditional sponsors and replace them with FIFA branding during the tournament, including changing the names of some internal facilities such as bars and restaurants.

Benedict from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles said: “It is truly a huge task. Wherever you look, there is a new name or something that needs to be covered.”

In Houston, hiding the large “NRG” logo located on the edge of the roof cost around one million dollars, according to local media.

Atlanta was the exception, as it was able to keep the “Mercedes-Benz Stadium” name, after management concluded that removing or covering the large German company logo could damage the retractable roof.