Rhoads Field at the University of Pennsylvania supports year-round NCAA athletics, intramurals, and campus programming — but with the field selected to host 2025 FIFA Club World Cup training sessions and serve as a training venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the surface needed to meet a new international performance standard. Heavy rainfall, tight scheduling, and high traffic had created consistency challenges that required a top-to-bottom renovation. UPenn turned to Hummer to rebuild the field into a fully optimized sand-based system capable of delivering elite playability in all conditions.
Hummer’s work began with a complete reconstruction of the field, restoring proper surface profile, correcting grade variations, and re-engineering the sand-based root zone for long-term strength and consistency. A new, efficient athletic irrigation system was installed to improve water distribution and support the moisture control required for elite sand-based systems. The upgraded profile dramatically improved drainage capacity, reduced surface saturation, and created the firm, uniform foundation needed for high-level soccer and collegiate play.
Once the infrastructure was modernized, Hummer re-established the natural-grass surface using premium turf materials and proven grow-in practices. All phases of work were completed during the summer prior to the fall season, ensuring the field was fully ready for play when students returned. The result is a safer, smoother, and more resilient sand-based natural-grass field — now prepared for NCAA competition, year-round campus use, and the demands of the world’s most prestigious soccer tournament.
