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NFL to tap into FIFA’s expertise to find solutions for safer playing surfaces

The National Football League is looking to work with FIFA to explore a way forward amid ongoing concerns about player safety related to artificial turf.

The issue was recently addressed at the NFL owners meeting in New York. The league wishes to work with the international soccer body in exploring research into field compositions and their effects on player safety.

Specifically, the NFL wants to take a closer look into such matters as surface hardness, traction and performance to see how they affect player injuries.

A number of NFL stadiums are slated to be used for the 2026 World Cup of Soccer that will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. A hybrid grass type is to be used during World Cup play, and FIFA’s insights into the surface type could provide solutions for playing conditions that would address both player safety and game performance.