The grass sits four-and-a-half feet above artificial turf used by the Dallas Cowboys, the report says. Rather than a thin layer rolled in for a few weeks, it has a full soil profile and hybrid elements.
Craig put the construction in stark terms: “We're standing four-and-a-half feet above where the NFL field is, just in order to fit this within the stadium, but we have a full soil profile in there.”
He added: “This isn't just a temporary installation. This is typical of what would be underneath a standard playing surface.”
Indoor football presents a different challenge. With limited sunlight and air-conditioning shaping the environment, grow lamps help maintain the surface between matches, while the grass was shipped from Colorado, the report says.
Craig said the goal extends beyond appearance: “It's not just about having green grass. We have to make sure that these pitches play the way that these elite-level players are used to.”
That matters in a semifinal, where a difficult bounce or inconsistent pace can become an unwanted storyline. The surface is designed to remove those distractions and let the technical quality of both teams take over.
For France and Spain, the ideal pitch will be the one they barely notice - a reliable base for passing, pressing and the fine details that can decide a tight match.
The report says the surface will be dismantled after the semifinal, allowing Dallas Stadium to return to concerts and NFL events. Craig described the venue as “a very, very busy stadium.”
The next storyline to watch is whether France and Spain receive the seamless conditions the pitch team has spent years trying to provide. If so, the surface will have done its job by disappearing while the semifinal takes centre stage.