BC Place's World Cup grass is being recycled back to Fraser Valley soil
The hybrid turf that hosted international matches is being dismantled and returned to Bos Sod Farms in Abbotsford, with 99% of organic material composted.
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The natural grass that covered BC Place during the FIFA World Cup 2026 is being dismantled and returned to the Fraser Valley for composting and recycling.
The hybrid turf system—a combination of natural grass grown at Bos Sod Farms in Abbotsford and an underlying mesh-and-sand base—was installed in May after the Whitecaps' final home game. It provided the real-grass surface required for all World Cup matches, including those where Romelu Lukaku, Jonathan David, and James Rodríguez played.
Now that the tournament has ended, the turf is heading back to Abbotsford. According to a FIFA spokesperson, the synthetic fibres will be removed and recycled, while natural materials will be repurposed. BC PavCo, which operates BC Place, confirmed it is investing in a sustainable composting process that will return approximately 99% of the organic material to BC soil.
When the BC Lions return on July 25, they'll play on the artificial surface BC Place has used for years. The decision to use temporary grass rather than upgrade to permanent natural turf reflects the World Cup's temporary nature—the field was always meant to be removed after the tournament ended.
