NFL Requires All Stadiums To Install Approved Playing Surfaces By 2028 Season

Every NFL stadium must install new turf before the 2028 season kicks off. Lab tests and on-field evaluations have shaped these standards. Teams can choose from a list of approved grass, synthetic, or hybrid fields.

Nick Pappas, the NFL's field director, explained the program on Dec. 4, 2025. Franchises will see approved field options before next season starts. Then they'll have two years to install them.

The fields undergo rigorous testing and approval from a joint committee that works with the NFLPA. Pappas drew a parallel to helmet testing, which created new standards for player gear over the years.

"It's sort of a red, yellow, green effect, where we're obviously trying to phase out fields that we have determined to be less ideal than newer fields coming into the industry," he said, according to the NFL. "This is a big step for us."

Testing takes place in labs and at stadiums using two tools. The BEAST replicates how a player moves while testing traction. The STRIKE Impact Tester measures how firm each field is.

Officials want surfaces that perform the same way at all 30 stadiums. Consistency throughout the season at each venue matters too. Pappas identified three main goals: optimized playability, reduced injury risk, and positive player feedback.

Natural grass won't be mandatory at all venues. Dr. Allen Sills, the league's chief medical officer, said data shows no "statistically significant differences" in lower extremity injuries or concussions based on surface type.

"The surface is only one driver of these lower extremity injuries," Sills said. "There are a lot of other factors, including player load and previous history and fatigue and positional adaptability and cleats that are worn."