FIFA did not build the field at MetLife Stadium. In fact, New Jersey taxpayers funded most of it. The stadium belongs to the New York Giants and the New York Jets. And yet, as of this week, FIFA is selling pieces of that grass for up to $3,000 a patch.

The World Cup final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium, officially branded New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament. The matchup will feature Spain against Argentina. Before a single ball is kicked in that final, FIFA has already moved to sell the ground beneath it.

What FIFA Is Selling

FIFA’s official store lists four tiers of grass collectibles from the World Cup final pitch, manufactured by UK-based Keep Stub.

The Foundation Edition is priced at $450. And contains a small cube of grass permanently preserved in premium acrylic, accompanied by a USB drive carrying an authenticity film, per the AP. The Stadium Edition costs $900. It includes a gold-etched metal souvenir ticket and a signed certificate of authenticity, all packaged in a premium presentation case. The Legacy Edition, at $1,200, includes the grass cube, a premium embossed box, and an official mini replica World Cup soccer ball. Finally, the Hero Edition tops out at $3,000. It arrives in a large wooden box containing a crystal-cut glass World Cup trophy, the grass cube, the souvenir ticket, the certificate of authenticity, and the mini replica ball. The $3,000 tier also comes with a slightly larger cube, at 3 inches per side, compared to 2.5 inches for the three lower tiers.

Each of the four tiers is limited to 2,026 units, for a combined inventory of 8,104 pieces. If every unit sells, the collection generates more than $11.2 million in revenue. Orders ship only to addresses in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. And will not ship until after the final.

The Field FIFA Did Not Pay For

Now, there is a detail worth knowing before clicking purchase.

MetLife Stadium normally plays on artificial turf and is home to the New York Giants and New York Jets. For the World Cup, the stadium was retrofitted with natural grass sourced from a turf farm in North Carolina. It was installed in early May. The cost of that installation fell largely on New Jersey taxpayers, per Forbes.

However, players and coaches from Brazil and France criticized the pitch quality throughout the tournament. They described the surface as dry and difficult to play on following matches in earlier rounds.

FIFA has not publicly addressed how it claims commercial rights over a field it did not fund, in a stadium it does not own.

Now, New Jersey Wants a Cut

New Jersey’s governor, Mikie Sherrill, is not letting the question go unanswered.

Sean Higgins, a spokesperson for Sherrill, told Politico: “New Jersey paid for the vast majority of the total expense for the pitch at MetLife Stadium. So New Jersey taxpayers should share in any proceeds from this latest money grab.”

As of this writing, no agreement between New Jersey and FIFA has been announced. Forbes reports that if a deal were reached, it remains unclear how any proceeds would reach state taxpayers.

FIFA Has Done This Before

This is not FIFA’s first move of this kind. The governing body sold grass from last year’s Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. It offered it in a glass-encased cube containing real grass and soil from the final, per Forbes.

For this tournament, FIFA has also rolled out limited-edition host city jerseys at $375 each, with only 999 produced per city across 16 host cities. Similarly, regular tickets for the July 19 final are priced at up to $32,970, with hospitality packages listed at $34,500 and $32,500. On the secondary market, final tickets started at $7,443 as of Tuesday, according to Forbes, citing TickPick.

The broader sports memorabilia market has moved in a similar direction. Boise State is selling pieces of its famous blue turf football field in segments ranging from $40 for a small swatch to $25,000 for a 400-square-foot sheet, per The Athletic. Major League Baseball is selling small jars of dirt from Game 7 of the 2025 World Series for $50 each. At Sotheby’s this week, two 4-by-8 sections of court used at Madison Square Garden during NBA Finals Games 3 and 4 each sold for more than $100,000.

In the end, and whatever the precedent might be, FIFA is pricing its collectibles well above most of those comparisons, from a field someone else paid for.

Tags: world cup