FIFA sells authentic pieces of 2026 World Cup final pitch as collectibles

FIFA announced on July 11 that it is selling authentic fragments of the playing surface from the 2026 FIFA World Cup final held on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium, which was renamed New York New Jersey Stadium for the event ^{[1, 2, 3]}. The natural turf used for the final was grown at a farm in North Carolina and temporarily installed at MetLife Stadium, which normally uses artificial turf ^{[1, 4, 5]}. After the tournament, the stadium will remove the natural grass and return to artificial turf ^{[6, 7]}.

Each piece of turf is preserved in a premium acrylic display case. Also included is an integrated USB containing an authenticity film to verify the origin ^{[1, 8, 2, 6, 3, 9]}. The dimensions of each piece are marked as 17.5 x 17.5 x 17.5, but the unit of measurement has not been specified ^{[1, 8, 10, 6, 3, 9, 11, 5]}.

Pieces are offered in four price tiers: $450, $900, $1,200, and $3,000. The highest tier includes additional memorabilia, such as a gold-etched replica ticket, a mini replica ball, and a crystal-cut World Cup trophy ^{[1, 4, 9, 5]}. No more than 2,026 pieces will be made available for each price tier ^{[1, 4]}.

Sales and shipping are limited to addresses in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe. Orders will be shipped only after the World Cup final on July 19, 2026 ^{[1, 4, 8, 10, 2, 6, 3, 9, 11, 5]}.

FIFA noted the collectible's uniqueness: "Own a genuine piece of football history with an authentic 2026 FIFA World Cup Piece of the pitch, permanently preserved in a premium acrylic with a USB keepsake," according to the FIFA official store ^[1].

The pitch quality drew criticism from players and coaches during the tournament, with several noting issues with the natural turf ^{[1, 8, 10, 5]}. Similar sales have been held in the past; FIFA auctioned pieces of MetLife Stadium's pitch from last year’s Club World Cup final ^{[1, 10]}.

Regular ticket prices for the World Cup final reached up to $32,970, while hospitality tickets sold for $34,500 and $32,500 ^{[1, 8, 10, 9, 11, 5]}.

The pitch pieces offer fans a tangible memento. Shipping of all orders will begin in the days following the World Cup final on July 19, 2026 ^{[1, 4, 8, 10, 2, 6]}.