NorthBridge Bermudagrass was recently installed at Chivas’ stadium in Mexico and is already used by franchises such as the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders
For the first time in South America, the NorthBridge Bermudagrass variety is being commercially cultivated.
Leading this initiative is Brazilian company Itograss, a national benchmark in natural turf and now the first company on the continent to offer the same technology used in stadiums for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the U.S. National Football League (NFL).
Developed by Oklahoma State University and licensed globally by Sod Solutions, this grass variety is known for its high density, vibrant color, quick recovery, and greater tolerance to cold and shade. It is already used in several U.S. stadiums, including Arrowhead Stadium (home of the Kansas City Chiefs), FedEx Field (Washington Commanders), and Exploria Stadium (Orlando City SC, of Major League Soccer).
The first 2026 World Cup venue to officially feature NorthBridge is Estadio Akron, home of Chivas Guadalajara, in Mexico. The stadium recently underwent extensive renovations, including the installation of the new turf.
In Brazil, the innovation is already drawing interest from major arenas. The Maracanã, one of football’s most iconic stadiums, is considering replacing its current turf with NorthBridge.
“And we’ll have news soon. There are two excellent Bermuda varieties being evaluated for Maracanã: Latitude 36 and NorthBridge. We are closely following the technical studies to determine which one will be chosen for the stadium after 2025,” said Severiano Braga, CEO of Maracanã, in a statement published on the stadium’s official website.
“The arrival of NorthBridge in Brazil is a milestone not only for Itograss but for South American football as a whole. We now have access to one of the world’s most advanced turf varieties—used by national teams, elite franchises, and now available to Brazilian stadiums and training centers. This is another innovation, backed by research, and developed specifically to meet the performance, durability, and aesthetic demands of the sports industry,” says Rodrigo Santos, coordinator of the Sports Turf and Innovation Center at Itograss.
According to Breno Rodrigo Couto, agronomist and consultant for Mexican turf supplier Pasto Santa Cruz, who led the installation project at Chivas’ stadium, this grass represents a significant advancement in turf technology for sports surfaces.
“Estadio Akron in Guadalajara is the first in Mexico to undergo a complete renovation in preparation for the 2026 World Cup. That modernization included a full turf replacement, now featuring the NorthBridge Bermudagrass variety. This grass is already widely used in the United States and is now being introduced to a Mexican stadium for the first time—marking a major milestone in the modernization of the country’s sports venues,” said Couto.
Itograss plans to begin commercial distribution of NorthBridge Bermudagrass in November 2025. Currently, the company holds approximately 90% market share in the Brazilian sports turf segment, serving numerous training centers and major stadiums across the country. Its Celebration variety remains the most commonly used grass in high-performance sports fields in Brazil.
