The New England Patriots are racing against the clock to prepare Gillette Stadium for their first game of 2026. Gillette Stadium Turf Fails Testing ProtocolGillette Stadium temporarily featured natural grass while hosting World Cup matches earlier in the summer. That surface was removed after the final game, allowing the stadium to return to artificial turf for the Patriots’ season. A 2001 preseason game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens also was canceled because of an unsafe surface at Veterans Stadium. The Patriots expected their preseason opener to provide the first real evaluation of the roster.