ATT Stadium looks dramatically different as FIFA prepares the venue for the 2026 World Cup. The artificial turf used for Dallas Cowboys games has been covered by a natural grass pitch ahead of nine World Cup matches scheduled at what FIFA will call “Dallas Stadium.” Journalists were given a first look Thursday at the transformation inside the stadium. “You’re looking at roughly 45-thousand man hours, 15-thousand tons of materials hauled in,” stadium general manager Tod Martin said. The new pitch is not simply grass rolled over the existing football field. The field surface, a Kentucky bluegrass and ryegrass mix, was grown in Colorado before being transported roughly 800 miles to North Texas. “Started harvest on the farm this past Friday up in Colorado,” Martin said. Underneath the field is a ventilation and irrigation system designed to maintain the playing surface throughout the tournament. Above the pitch, 18 large pink grow lights hang from the stadium ceiling. Officials said the lighting system is being used for the first time during a World Cup and will be raised before matches begin. The first thing you notice when you see the pitch is these giant pink grow lights being used for the first time during a World Cup. FIFA officials said the condition of the field will be measured not only by appearance, but also by how it performs during play. “Making sure the actual feeling under the feet and the bounce of the ball is behaving like they used to are important aspects that we can both watch and test for,” said Ewen Hodge, FIFA’s head of pitch infrastructure. Stadium officials said they are confident the field will hold up through the tournament schedule. “Very confident with the tests we’ve done thus far on the Copa games, and all the testing with FIFA and the University of Tennessee and Michigan State, we’re gonna have a great product that’s gonna last,” Martin said. The World Cup begins Thursday, June 11, 2026. The first match at Dallas Stadium is scheduled for Sunday, June 14, between Japan and the Netherlands. ...read more read less