FIFA has made non-fill synthetic turf and synthetic turf football surfaces with mineral infill eligible for a FIFA quality certificate. Within two weeks of its latest FIFA Technical Advisory Group meeting, the international football governing body has updated its handbook on Testing Methods, meaning these systems can now be installed and officially approved.
The updated edition now includes a section listing the systems eligible for FIFA certification.
So-called ‘infilled systems’ (synthetic turf systems for football that use a performance infill) are eligible for FIFA Basic, FIFA Quality and FIFA Quality Pro certification.
FIFA Basic only entails a site inspection. The results remain valid for only three months and for which no certificate is issued. FIFA Basic is primarily intended to offer underdeveloped countries (in terms of football infrastructure) the opportunity to organise a FIFA tournament.
FIFA Quality is the standard that FIFA pursues for recreational football. FIFA Quality Pro, on the other hand, focuses on synthetic turf for top-flight competitions.
Non-fill and mineral-filled
The latest developments – non-fill, mineral-filled/sand-dressed/semi-filled or ‘sand-stabilised’ systems – are now eligible for a FIFA Basic assessment and FIFA Quality product approval and pitch certification. Eligibility for ‘FIFA Quality
Pro’ certification may be considered in the future, subject to additional research in the coming years.
The decision comes as something of a surprise given the significant resistance felt by many participants ahead of the FIFA TAG meeting. Sportsfields.info recently published this article on the subject.