USWNT gets sneak peek at World Cup grass at Lumen Field
SEATTLE — The United States is getting a sneak peek at the grass that has been laid down at Lumen Field for this summer time’s World Cup.
The USWNT performs Japan on Tuesday evening on the newly put in hybrid grass, a mixture of actual grass woven with synthetic fibers. The ladies’s workforce has not been to Lumen since 2017 due to the factitious turf.
In 2022, the collective bargaining settlement that gave the ladies equal pay to their male nationwide workforce counterparts additionally gave the gamers equitable taking part in situations, which included taking part in solely on appropriate grass fields.
US coach Emma Hayes mentioned it was essential to convey the nationwide workforce again to the Pacific Northwest. More than 35,000 tickets had been offered for the sport, which breaks the file for a standalone ladies’s match in Seattle. Megan Rapinoe’s retirement match with the Seattle Reign in 2023 drew 34,130 followers.
“It was definitely one of my goals. I really wanted the opportunity and quite rightly the CBA, we want to be playing on grass fields. So that prohibited that from happening and this opportunity gives us the chance to do that,” Hayes mentioned. “I’m so happy to record it with both hands and for us to have a record attendance for a women’s game in this area.”
FIFA has strict necessities for the fields of play at the World Cup. So each stadium used throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico for this summer time’s World Cup might want to have comparable grass fields.
There are eight World Cup stadiums, seven within the United States and one in Canada, which have synthetic turf. All of the venues, apart from Vancouver’s BC Place, are dwelling to NFL groups.
In Seattle’s case, the work to put in the grass started in earnest final month. A drainage system and practically a foot of sand had been laid down earlier than the sod was put in. The grass and the construction beneath might be eliminated following the World Cup.
Lumen is dwelling to the NFL’s Seahawks, MLS’ Sounders and the Reign of the NWSL. The Sounders and Reign have been displaced throughout the set up, taking part in some matches throughout the state in Spokane.
The Sounders will play their first match on the brand new grass on Wednesday once they host Mexican membership Tigres within the second leg of a Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal.
Seattle is ready to host six World Cup matches beginning in June, 4 within the group-stage and two within the knockout spherical.
Information from The Associated Press was used on this report.
