The 2023 SFMA Conference General Session will focus on the hosting and delivery of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and transitioning to the 2026 World Cup. In 2022, Qatar is the single host city. In 2026, various cities throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico will serve as hosting sites. The presentation will discuss the challenges of working in parallel on different events in different stages of the event lifecycle, as well as preparing and planning for consistency and uniformity of fields across different climate zones and stadium types. The integration of science and the latest technology for the development of a quality surface that meets FIFA standards will also be discussed.
SFMA has assembled a panel of diverse experts that represent a combination of international expertise and local knowledge:
- Jose Aldrete is the sub director of operations Akron Stadium and Sports Companies Chivas for Akron Stadium / Chivas
- Alan Ferguson is the senior pitch management manager for FIFA
- Kaj Heyral is the group leader infrastructure management for FIFA
- John Rogers, III, Ph.D. is a professor at Michigan State University
- John Sorochan, Ph.D. is a distinguished professor at University of Tennessee
The General Session will be held Tuesday, January 17, 2023, from 8-9:30 a.m.