Sorochan’s account says his team helped prepare surfaces across the tournament’s North American venues, with no pitch needing to be replaced between matches. The target had been clear: “It would be a failure if we had to replace any grass between any games in any of the stadiums,” he said.
The work went beyond the surface itself. Sorochan reportedly helped assess grow-light coverage in domed stadiums, while local grounds crews managed watering, mowing and fertiliser around matchdays. The account also credits sod grown on plastic with helping protect roots before installation.
Brazil and France were among the teams reported to have criticised pitch conditions. Sorochan framed some of the challenge as environmental, pointing to heat, low humidity and wind. “It’s not the grass’ fault,” he said. “It’s the environment.”
That distinction matters: a surface can be carefully maintained and still play differently as weather shifts. For future tournaments, communication between grounds teams and national sides may be as important as the technical preparation.
Sorochan is reportedly looking ahead to future World Cups, with research into more advanced grow lights and a closed-loop water system for pitch maintenance. The account says the system could reuse water available within stadiums, including air-conditioning condensation.
The next test will be turning those ideas into dependable practice across venues with very different climates. With the 2030 and 2034 tournaments on the horizon, and preparations also under way for the 2031 Rugby World Cup in the United States, turf management is set to remain an important part of the event behind the event.