NFL INTERNATIONAL GAMES
When the NFL plays in Mexico City and Sao Paulo, World Sports prepares the field. We have worked on four NFL international games since 2019.
WHAT WE DO FOR AN NFL GAME
- Surface testing against NFL standards before the game
- Hybrid stitching to reinforce the playing surface
- A full pitch rebuild when the surface cannot be recovered
- Game-week field preparation
- Returning the pitch to the home club for soccer
ESTADIO AZTECA
In 2018 the NFL moved its Mexico City game over field conditions. The stadium brought World Sports in to fix the problem. We project-managed the rebuild from hybrid to natural grass, with new drainage and irrigation. NFL games returned in 2019 and 2022, and we have been involved with the stadium ever since.
NEO QUIMICA ARENA
Field management for the first NFL game in Brazil in 2024 and for the 2025 game, including hybrid stitching. World Sports built this pitch in 2014 and has maintained it since.
NFL CLUBS WE WORK WITH IN THE UNITED STATES
Training-camp fields in Oxnard, CA, since 2022. Technical consulting at The Star in Frisco, TX.
Hybrid stitching system for Levi’s Stadium.
SISIS equipment for the grounds crew.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does World Sports do to prepare a field for an NFL game?
We test the surface against NFL standards before the game, reinforce it with hybrid stitching when needed and prepare the field through game week. When a surface cannot be recovered, we rebuild it. After the game we return the pitch to the home club, ready for soccer.
How is an NFL playing surface tested?
One of the key measures is surface hardness, taken with a Clegg hammer; the league works with a 100 g limit. We run these tests well ahead of game week, so there is time to correct the field before the league's own inspection.
Why did the NFL move its 2018 game in Mexico City?
The NFL moved its 2018 Mexico City game over field conditions at Estadio Azteca. The stadium then brought World Sports in to fix the problem: we project-managed the rebuild from hybrid to natural grass, with new drainage and irrigation. NFL games returned in 2019 and 2022.
Which NFL international games has World Sports worked on?
Four since 2019: at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in 2019 and 2022, and at Neo Quimica Arena in Sao Paulo for the first NFL game in Brazil, in 2024, and for the 2025 game.
Which NFL clubs does World Sports work with in the United States?
The Dallas Cowboys, with training-camp fields in Oxnard, California, since 2022 and technical consulting at The Star in Frisco, Texas; the San Francisco 49ers, with a hybrid stitching system for Levi's Stadium; and the Seattle Seahawks, with SISIS equipment for the grounds crew.
Can you prepare a stadium for other major events?
Yes. The same crews and test methods are behind our work on 8 FIFA tournaments since 2014. Tell us the venue, the event and the date, and we start with a surface evaluation.
TALK TO OUR EXPERTS ABOUT YOUR EVENT
Tell us the venue, the event and the date. We start with a surface evaluation.
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