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John Sorochan explains the agronomic feat needed a perfect FIFA World Cup grass pitch

NPR | By Scott Simon

Published May 30, 2026 at 6:41 AM CDT

What goes behind the growing the perfect grass pitch for the FIFA World Cup? NPR's Scott Simon speaks to John Sorochan of the University of Tennessee, the man in charge of delivering these fields.

Scott Simon

Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.

See stories by Scott Simon