World Cup Grass, Once Criticized as 'Dry,' Now Sold as Souvenirs for Up to $3,000

FIFA is offering fans a unique, albeit expensive, piece of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: fragments of the grass from the final match venue, the New York New Jersey Stadium. These pieces are being sold as memorabilia, preserved in resin and available in four distinct tiers. Prices range from $450 (approximately 670,000 South Korean won) for a smaller piece to $3,000 (about 4.51 million won) for the premium "Hero Edition."

The "Hero Edition" grass fragment measures 7.62 cm and comes with additional exclusive items. These include a metallic commemorative ticket with gold accents, a miniature replica of the official World Cup final ball, and a crystal-cut World Cup trophy. The other three tiers feature 6.35 cm grass pieces. All items are expected to ship after the final match and are currently available only to buyers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Each tier has a limited production run of 2,026 pieces.

This initiative follows FIFA's trend of releasing high-priced collectibles. In May, the organization offered limited-edition jerseys for $375 each, representing the 16 host cities, with only 999 produced per city. However, these jerseys have not yet sold out.

Despite the commercial push, questions linger about the quality of the stadium's turf. The grass, supplied by a North Carolina farm and installed in early May, faced criticism from players during early World Cup matches. Brazilian and French players reportedly described the turf as "dry and difficult to play on," raising doubts about the value of the expensive memorabilia.