Natural Grass Now Leads Artificial Turf Across NFL Stadiums, 16 to 14.
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For the 2026 pro football season, natural or hybrid grass is now the playing surface at 16 of the league’s 30 primary stadiums, compared with 14 using artificial turf.
The shift comes as playing surfaces remain a major topic across professional football. Players have continued to voice a preference for natural grass, while the NFL is placing greater emphasis on measurable surface quality, consistency, and playability across both natural and synthetic fields.
Buffalo’s new Highmark Stadium is one example of the movement tdoward grass, switching from the artificial surface used at the team’s former stadium to natural Kentucky bluegrass. And after several NFL venues temporarily installed natural grass for the 2026 World Cup, the feasibility of grass at major multipurpose stadiums has received even more attention.
For turf crews, choosing natural grass is only the beginning. Installation quality still matters—from seam consistency to compression and the finished playing surface.
Powered by internationally patented compression technology, SIDEKICK helps crews deliver tighter, cleaner, more consistent natural turf installations from start to finish.
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