Canadian Soccer's Stance on Grass For Men vs. Turf For Women Leaves More Questions Than Answers

Asked at a press conference Monday whether the 2026 World Cup joint bid by Canada, the United States, and Mexico would be played on grass exclusively, as opposed to artificial turf, CONCACAF and Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani replied, "Every men's World Cup has been on grass. We assume this will be the same."

He has a point. Every men's World Cup has been on grass. And no wonder: the playing surface is vastly more forgiving than artificial turf, which has been linked to all manner of health problems and is potentially carcinogenic.

The reason Montagliani's answer caught the attention of the soccer world, though, is that Canada had hosted the 2015 Women's World Cup. You know, the one played on turf, much to the disappointment, chagrin, and at times pain of the players involved. At the opening match in Edmonton, the pitch surface temperature was a more-than-balmy 120 degrees.

Before 2015, every women's senior World Cup had been played on grass, too, but that didn't stop Montagliani from embracing turf back in 2014: "It was clear from the beginning that the stadiums that we have which currently all have FIFA two-star turf in them. The laws of the game and the FIFA standards allow it. Obviously they have to meet the standards that FIFA lay out. Our bid was well within the standards that FIFA laid out."

Still, perhaps Montagliani simply hadn't been thinking about 2015 during the press conference on Monday afternoon, or maybe he and the CSA had seen the error of their ways. Maybe they had vowed never again—no turf, not for men or for women.

Seeking clarification, I reached out to the Canadian Soccer Association earlier this week, and Director of Communications Richard Scott returned my inquiry by phone. Montagliani was already on a flight, but Scott said he was authorized to tell me on Montagliani's behalf that the two situations—the 2015 Women's World Cup and the 2026 joint bid—were different because "expectations were very different for that tournament, as were the requirements."

In the interview, Canada said that the issue stemmed from FIFA and what the CSA says was a change in midstream: that the 2015 WWC bid they submitted contained grass and turf fields, but once Canada was awarded the tournament, FIFA demanded the fields be of uniform material.

When I asked about the perception that Canada, two years after putting the women on an all-turf field, appeared to be certain the fields for the men would be all grass, Scott and I were disconnected. Scott followed up by email: "Apologies we were cut off as our live radio interview was calling through. Unfortunately we missed the window with Victor before he got on his flight. Per our conversation, I was not able to answer your second question as that would need to be directed to Victor Montagliani." I responded that should Montagliani care to answer the question when he landed, I'd happily include it.

Two hours later, I received a call from Peter Montopoli, General Secretary of the CSA, though Scott, also on the call, explained that Montopoli was about to board an airplane. Montopoli quickly made it clear that he'd be able to dispel any confusion about why Canada provided all turf venues for the women but assumed they'd provide all grass for the men.

"Let me start with the reality of what we faced in 2015," Montopoli said. "Because I'm not sure everybody got the facts right today. And being the CEO of that competition, I lived it every day. So I can speak to it."

Great. So why turf?

"The FIFA Executive Committee, because the Medical Committee had told them so, said that it was only going to be one surface. And that one surface was going to be artificial turf. So that's why we went with artificial turf."

So FIFA demanded not only that the surface be uniform, but that it must be artificial turf?

"No, I'm not saying that."

Did Canada lack the capacity to provide six all-grass fields in six cities, along with three grass practice pitches in each of those cities?

"I don't want to say lack of capacity, don't put words in my mouth. I don't think I'm saying that, either. When FIFA wrote the bid requirements, they said grass and/or turf. We put in according to the specifications."

So I asked: If Canada, once forced by FIFA to make their bid either all grass or all turf, had gone with an all-grass option for the 2015 Women's World Cup, would FIFA have said no?

"You're asking me a question that was never offered, never considered, never part of the program," Montopoli replied. "So don't write something that didn't happen. I'm telling you the process. They didn't tell us that because the question wasn't asked!"

I asked Montopoli if he could understand why, for whatever reasons, it struck a false note with so many people that he sounded sure grass would be provided for the men in 2026 when, according to him, it wasn't considered, let alone proposed for the women in 2015. He took a long pause.

"You know what, we have no technical specifications for the bid today," he said. "I don't know whether it's fair to be speaking to a technical specification that's not even in writing. So I don't want to speculate—let's just give us 30 days, please? To see what the rules of engagement even are."

I tried again: rules aside, did the perception concern him?

"We did a lot to get to this point," Montopoli said. "And I wouldn't want a turf or grass issue to cloud what today was really all about."

But forget FIFA. Did Montopoli personally feel World Cups moving forward should be played only on grass, for men and women?

"World Cups?"

Yes.

"Artificial turf has certain applications, and that's a FIFA decision, and if they decide it, and do you mean senior World Cups, because that's a broad question…"

I clarified: senior World Cups.

There was a long pause, and Scott came on the line. "Peter's going to have to get through that international gate."

Montopoli was gone. I told Richard Scott that I'd happily add to my story either Montopoli or Montagliani's answer about whether women and men should only play World Cups on grass.

"Unfortunately, with the timing and both of them on international flights and that question not coming up at the top of the interview, we will not be able to have that answer tonight," Scott replied. As of Friday afternoon, I still hadn't received an answer.

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