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The new turf at CenturyLink Field has passed FIFA's test, receiving a two-star, professional-grade rating. This is hardly a surprise, as the turf was also two-star rated in 2009 and most, if not all, the artificial turfs in MLS are also two-star rated.
"The new turf field is a big plus for us from the standpoint that it's going to play much truer to grass. It slows the ball down at times, which is important for a team like us that likes to keep possession," said Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said in a team release. "There's more bounce to it and more give. It's a spongier surface so it plays a lot better than it did last year."
With a two-star rating, that means the CenturyLink is eligible to host any FIFA-sanctioned event other than the senior men's World Cup. In 2009 when it last had FIFA's highest rating for artificial turf, a Gold Cup match was played here.