FIFA World Cup 2026 Stadium Conversion Challenge

The SPS Stadia+Arenas System is the engineering solution behind three stadium conversions for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

• New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium)
• Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field) 
• Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field)

In order to host World Cup matches, FIFA required chosen venues in Mexico, the US and Canada to meet several regulations for international matches. Everything from renaming sponsored venues to a neutral name to significant structural changes accommodating a quite different-sized pitch.

Unlike the NFL playing field, the FIFA-recommended size for elite World Cup competition is 105 × 68 metres. For NFL games, the field width is approximately 54 yards. FIFA’s standard width requires 68 metres, around 74 yards. That’s a difference of 20 yards in width alone. Furthermore, any changes must allow each venue to return to its original NFL configuration after the tournament.

A nearly invisible, custom fabricated conversion

The approach is significant. Rather than demolishing corner seating areas and repairing the damage after the World Cup, the teams designed custom sections constructed of Sandwich Plate System (SPS) modular steel composite decking to bolt directly into place. Complete with seats and handrails, these removable banks ensure die-hard NFL fans are accommodated. Conversely, when removed for World Cup matches, the regulation FIFA pitch is ready for action.

Crucially, fans aren’t even aware they’re not sitting on concrete. Using extensive site surveys and advanced computer modelling, each custom-fabricated SPS unit  fits unnoticeably into position. On game days, the SPS behaves and sounds like concrete too.

Delivering at Scale: Three Venues, One Solution

At New York New Jersey Stadium, the stadium conversion took place across two phases. Crews removed 1,740 existing concrete terraces across the venue’s four corners before installing banks of removable SPS terraces in their place. The new banks used almost 23,000 ft² [2,130 m²] of proprietary SPS, matching the footprint of the removed seating. Phase I completed in May 2024 and Phase II in May 2025. The stadium will host eight matches during the World Cup, including the Final on 19 July 2026.

Similarly, Philadelphia Stadium adopted the same process, where 58,000 ft² [5,400 m²] of SPS replaces seating in the affected corners on normal event days. The venue will host six matches across the six-week tournament.

Finally, Seattle Stadium also hosts six World Cup 2026 matches, with 5,382 ft² [500 m²] of SPS employed to reconfigure the stadium and accommodate the FIFA pitch.

Architectural versatility with SPS

Across three stadiums, the SPS Stadia+Arenas System has demonstrated what’s possible for stadium conversions. In all of them, precision engineering meets real-world constraints. Venues serving NFL fans for decades will now welcome the world, without losing a single seat, through the versatility of SPS. When the final whistle blows on 19 July, it won’t just be a footballing milestone. It’ll be proof that the right system, designed and built to purpose, can make two worlds coexist seamlessly.