Good morning. The President of the United States might be “very optimistic” about a deal in the Middle East, but peace remains delicate and elusive. More on that, plus a glimpse at greener grass: inside the massive effort to grow World Cup turf.
Today’s headlines from the Middle East
- News: U.S. and Iran prepare for ceasefire talks as Kuwait comes under attack
- On the ground: For some people in the Middle East, missile attacks come without warning
- Back home: Canada condemns Israel for bombing Lebanon after a ceasefire agreement, calling on Hezbollah to disarm and seek a diplomatic solution
- Business: Food suppliers are charging retailers extra fees to offset the soaring cost of fuel, a move that will put pressure on grocery prices
- Podcast: Globe international affairs columnist Doug Saunders joins the show from Dubai, where he is witnessing the impact of the ceasefire
Dr. John Sorochan holds up a piece of sod growing over plastic in the FIFA research facility at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, March 13.Jessica Tezak/The Globe and Mail
World Cup
Pitch perfect
Hello! I’m Andrea Woo and I’m a national reporter for The Globe and Mail, based in Vancouver.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11, with 16 host cities across Canada, Mexico and the U.S. It’s the first time the tournament will be spread across three countries, and it will mark the World Cup’s most complex and geographically dispersed edition.
Being located in one of those host cities, Vancouver, I thought it might be neat to do a story on what it takes to replace the artificial turf at our BC Place stadium with natural grass – a FIFA requirement for all host stadiums. Should be simple, right?
What I did not expect was to go down a rabbit hole of turfgrass science, with every fact I learned prompting a slew of other questions.
The FIFA research building where Dr. John Sorochan and his team are developing the turfgrass for the World Cup.Jessica Tezak/The Globe and Mail
I had not considered, for example, FIFA’s exacting standards for how a natural grass pitch must perform, from how far a soccer ball travels when rolled across it to how much shock it absorbs under a player’s foot.
Now apply that to 16 separate stadiums – some domed, some open – spread across three climatic zones in three countries, each with different temperatures, humidity levels and altitude variations.
How does one ensure that the playing field here in Vancouver behaves the same as one in hot and humid Miami, or high up in Mexico City, 2,240 metres above sea level?
John Sorochan, a distinguished professor in turfgrass science at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Plant Sciences, led a five-year, multimillion-dollar research project to answer that question.
A native Calgarian, Dr. Sorochan got into the field (heh) decades ago thinking he would pursue a career constructing golf courses, but a university project working on the World Cup’s first indoor natural grass pitch – at the old Pontiac Silverdome near Detroit, in 1994 – set him on a different path. We spent weeks on the phone and exchanging e-mails about grass types and rootzones and hybrid turf stitching.
At Bos Sod Farms, the family business has been working towards producing turf for the upcoming FIFA World Cup games hosted this summer in Vancouver.Paige Taylor White/The Globe and Mail
I met Bert Bos, the specialty turf grower in B.C.’s Fraser Valley responsible for turning that science into the playing field that will be installed at BC Place. I visited his family business in Abbotsford and walked upon the deep green carpet of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass that they’ve been growing since last June, noting how dense it felt underfoot.
He called it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do a project of this calibre.
“It’s a reflection of our business, of course – but also the turf industry in B.C., the city of Vancouver, the province of B.C. and the country of Canada – that we’re able to grow this high-quality turf in-house,” he said.
I also spoke with Tony Valente and Adam Grossman at BC Pavilion Corp., which operates BC Place, and Catherine Eiswerth at the civil engineering and consulting firm R.F. Binnie & Associates Ltd., who melted my brain with a PowerPoint presentation on the extensive systems of irrigation, vacuum ventilation and grow lights that will support the sod once installed at the stadium.
I filed my story with a new appreciation for turfgrass science, and the extensive research, passion and dedication that has gone into creating the playing fields for this year’s tournament.
I hope you’ll give it a read - and think about these folks during the World Cup games this summer.
The Shot
‘It’s a loss of our humanness, to live in a world just with adults.’
The Russian Hill neighbourhood in San Francisco on April 4.Amber Hakim/The Globe and Mail
How can San Francisco, the most childless city in the U.S., plan for a future without the next generation? Parks, swimming pools and schools sit empty – that could be a glimpse into Canada’s future.
The Wrap
What else we’re following
At home: Canada is talking to Britain, Japan and Italy about obtaining observer status in their joint program to develop a next-generation fighter aircraft.
Abroad: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire over a two-day period for Orthodox Easter and the Kremlin expected the Ukrainian side to do the same.
Alberta: A provincial government lawyer says it is too early in the process for courts to determine if constitutionally protected First Nations’ treaty rights would be violated by a separatist petition they are trying to block.
Quebec: As Liberals started to gather yesterday in Montreal for a policy convention, Prime Minister Mark Carney defended his party’s recruitment of a socially conservative MP this week.
Space: Before the crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission is safely back on Earth, they have one more milestone to overcome: hurtling toward the home planet at more than 38,000 kilometres an hour.