CAST Pulse Podcast – Episode 8: Turfgrass, the World Cup, and the Science Beneath the Pitch - CAST - The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology

News & Media

CAST Pulse Podcast – Episode 8: Turfgrass, the World Cup, and the Science Beneath the Pitch

What World Cup stadium grass has in common with your lawn — a conversation with Iowa State turfgrass expert James Sprague.

June 15, 2026
By Communications Office

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway across the United States, Mexico, and Canada — 48 teams, 104 matches, running through July 19. Eleven of the U.S. host stadiums are NFL venues that normally play on artificial turf, but FIFA requires natural grass. Over the past year, those stadiums installed hybrid playing surfaces — roughly 95% natural grass reinforced with thin synthetic fibers, grown on sod farms and rolled into the stadium like carpet. At SoFi Stadium, the new field is a Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass blend.

That’s turfgrass science on its biggest stage. But the same science — grass selection, root depth, water management — plays out every day on ballfields, golf courses, and lawns across the country. In this episode, CAST’s Programs and Engagement Manager Kaylee Kleitsch talks with James Sprague, an athletic field manager for Recreation Services at Iowa State University who just finished his master’s degree in turfgrass management there.

Sprague covers how turfgrass connects to traditional agriculture through sod farms and seed production, the growing pressure of water-use restrictions on sports turf and lawns, why drought-tolerant grasses and deeper root systems matter, common mistakes homeowners make with fertilizer and lawn chemicals, and how purposeful, data-driven turf management — including emerging spot-spray technology — is shaping the industry.

Also this week:

Nominations are open for the 2026 CAST Lifetime Achievement Award. Self-nominations are not accepted. Nominations close July 31.
Applications are open for the 2026 CAST Science Communication Scholarship — a $1,000 award for a CAST Student Member who can translate complex agricultural topics into clear, accurate messaging. Applications close July 31.
Registration is open for the 2026 CAST Annual Meeting & Student Innovation Conference, October 26–28 in St. Louis, hosted by Bayer CropScience under the theme “Science That Feeds Tomorrow.”
CAST’s free live “Meet the Expert” conversation with Dr. David Ortega streams July 7 at 12 p.m. CT on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Listen to Episode 8: https://open.spotify.com/episode/010EEPCesxPVgoXgExeRwT