Artificial turf makes its World Cup debut

For the first time in history, World Cup football matches will be played on artificial grass. A Dutch company is currently preparing two synthetic pitches in South Africa.

In the US, artificial turf is widely used in a variety of sports. But in football, the pitch is considered sacred by many around the world.

This is why the World Cup, which begins in South Africa next month, is already historic in at least one respect: for the first time some tournament matches will be played on artificial turf. Desso, a Dutch manufacturer of artificially-enhanced pitches is currently improving the stadiums in Nelspruit and Polokwane.

20 million fibres

Desso enhances existing natural turf pitches by injecting artificial grass fibres into them every two centimetres. Altogether, pitches are injected with some 20 million fibres, reaching 20 centimetres deep. The system, called Grassmaster, leaves the pitch composed of 97 percent natural and three percent synthetic grass. Half of all clubs in the English premier league, including Arsenal, and the Spanish team Real Madrid, already play on pitches of this type.

Sitting in his office in The Hague, Desso CEO Stef Kranendijk delivered the sales pitch for his Grassmaster system. "Natural grass' roots intertwine with the artificial fibres, making for a many times sturdier pitch, which suffers less damage from slidings," he said. "The pitch also regenerates more quickly. Only a very small bit of the artificial grass actually penetrates above the surface. You can only really see it once the pitch has been worn down."

The procedure is not without its drawbacks. Injecting a pitch with artificial fibres can cost somewhere between 350,000 and one million euros, depending on the field's drainage and heating systems. The price tag can be excessive for stadiums that also host events requiring them to temporarily remove their grass pitches.

After last year’s FA Cup final, Arsène Wenger, Arsenal's manager, started a fiery debate in the British press by saying the quality of Wembley Stadium's pitch was deplorable. He asked why a stadium that cost 870 million euros to build boasted a pitch that looked no different from two or three decades ago. Wegner argued that Wembley should adopt Grassmaster, as Arsenal had done before it.

Wembley didn’t have the option of injecting artificial fibres, however, because it had scheduled an AC/DC concert and a rally cross. Since most premier league clubs have dedicated stadiums, they can get the most out of the substantial investment necessary for a Grassmaster pitch.

Too late for some pitches

Dutch manufacturer, Desso, prefers injecting barren fields before grass is sown in. Not all natural grasses are suitable for its procedure. Therefore the company has declined to adapt Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, in spite of an official request. "The independent body that advises [world football federation] FIFA on the quality of World Cup pitches in South Africa has failed to approve the fields at this venue and in Durban," Kranendijk explained. "FIFA told us to 'do it' regardless. Ellis Park's pitch is made of kikuyu grass, though. It has broad leaves and short roots, meaning it can become quickly uprooted. We need more time to deliver the desired quality for this type of grass. We would also need to fly in new machinery, which would cost us 180,000 euros, and the organisation has no budget left to spend. It has put all its money into stadium construction. Sadly, grass is often not given enough priority at this type of event."

The company is already busy preparing for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, so as to prevent similar issues from arising in the future. "It is better to inject artificial grass a year in advance. That gives the grass' roots chance to intertwine with the artificial fibres," Kranendijk said. According to him, FIFA has referred to the Arsenal stadium's smooth pitch as the worldwide gold standard. Grassmaster could prove to be a superior alternative to fully artificial turf pitches, which still need improvement.

Dutch football team Heracles, the only premier league team that plays on artificial turf, has had to replace its artificial pitch (made by Dutch manufacturer Ten Cate) three times already. Kranendijk, whose company is the European market leader in artificial turf, believes there is still ample room for expansion of the market in artificial turf products. "Space is always at a premium in urban areas," he said. "Having a pitch you can play on as much as you want is important. Maintenance also costs less than it does for natural grass. Soon more and more children will grow up with artificial turf. They just won't know any better."