Grass pitches are mandatory for the FIFA World Cup in 2026. The grass installed for the match against Wrexham FC last summer was the first time real grass had been used at B.C. Place.
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PavCo is shopping for a new fleet of lawn mowers to maintain the real grass turf that will be installed at B.C. Place Stadium next year ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In two requests for proposal posted last month and last week, the B.C. Pavilion Corporation detailed its search for a contractor to “supply and deliver carpet-based reinforced natural grass sod,” and another to “supply, pre-assemble, deliver and provide training on lawn mowers” that will be put to use during the 2026 World Cup competition.
The contractor selected by the Crown corporation will produce the hybrid sod and will deliver the grass in “thick cut big rolls’” to the stadium by May 2026. Installation of the grass will be completed by another party.
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The stadium typically uses artificial turf when the Vancouver Whitecaps play, though real sod was trucked in most recently when the team hosted Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham AFC for a friendly in July 2024. That required 30 trucks to move the grass up from Washington state, and installation took six days, according to Canadian Soccer Daily.
The grass turf installation in July was largely seen as a trial run for the 2026 World Cup, as grass pitches are mandatory for the tournament. It was also the first time real grass had been used at B.C. Place.
“It’s beautiful to see the stadium with the grass — the real grass,” said then Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini, who has since been fired, ahead of the Wrexham match. “It’s like Champions League level. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.”
According to the posted RFP, a total of 8,200 square metres of hybrid sod will be required, along with 3,300 square metres of “contingency hybrid sod.”
The RFP was posted Jan. 8 and will close on Feb. 4.
Meanwhile, a total of seven lawn mowers will be needed, with an expected delivery date of May 15, 2025 at the latest. The selected contractor is also required to train stadium staff on operating and maintaining the mowers. No budget was listed in the RFP, though potential contractors are asked to submit a price estimate for evaluation.
Potential contractors must have relevant experience supplying and maintaining lawn mowers for previous FIFA World Cup, UEFA, or CONCACAF events.
The RFP was posted Dec. 20, 2024 and will close on Jan. 17.
With files from J.J. Adams.
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