A new concept for stadium surfaces that was trialled by both FIFA and UEFA this summer, received a mixed response. The temporary, reinforced grass overlays at some of the venues drew criticism from players and coaches across the board. However, not all issues raised can be blamed on the turf.

The historical preference of North American venue operators for synthetic turf is posing a major challenge for FIFA and the LOC of the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Eight of the 16 selected venues are currently fitted with a synthetic turf surface. The bidding invitation stipulated that the tournament needs to be played on (reinforced) natural turf. To make matters worse, some of the venue operators have indicated a preference for switching back to synthetic turf the moment the FIFA tournament is gone, denying FIFA and the LOC the option of installing a permanent solution.

Unlike Europe, North America doesn’t have a turf culture. And the dome like structures at some venues are also reason for concern. To find a suitable solution, FIFA established a sports turf research initiative, together with the University of Tennessee (UT) and Michigan State University (MSU). At UT, a state-of-the-art shade house was erected to simulate domed stadium conditions while at MSU, a 2100m² asphalt testing bed was installed, this to replicate the conditions of laying turf over rigid surfaces like stadium floors (currently fitted with synthetic turf). In addition to these engineering challenges, turfgrass specialists were also tasked with developing natural grass solutions suitable for the various climates. As the tournament will be spread over venues in Mexico, the US and Canada, FIFA is adamant that similar surface experiences are provided for all 104 games, irrespective of the altitude at which they’ll be played or challenges that might come with the six distinct and different climate zones the tournament spans.