Heat stress from marine heatwaves can create a toxic relationship between seagrasses and a hidden ecosystem of bacteria,

John Sorochan, a turf scientist at the University of Tennessee, has led the yearslong, multimillion-dollar effort to develop perfect playing fields for the 2026 World Cup.

Every match must be played on natural grass that gives players as consistent a surface as possible, no matter the venue. Cue the years of sod studies.