The Swedish Football Association, SvFF, has launched an ambitious three-year pilot project to test and evaluate new materials that could eventually replace the rubber granules currently used as infill on synthetic turf pitches.
The project will initially test five new biodegradable materials on full-size pitches in different parts of Sweden. But the trial won’t stop there. As new materials are developed, additional products can be introduced and evaluated over the three-year period.
Nordic response to European challenge
The project comes as Nordic football associations’ work more closely together to find alternatives to microplastic-based infill.
Since 2024, they have been collaborating on the development of new materials. The work is especially urgent following an EU decision to phase out certain microplastic. A ban on the sale of current microplastic infill is due to come into force in 2031.
For football, this creates both a challenge and an opportunity: finding alternatives that meet the demands of the modern game while reducing the environmental impact of artificial pitches.
Over the next three years, SvFF will establish test beds to monitor and evaluate both new and previously untested materials. The findings will play a key role in deciding which alternatives have the potential to become part of the next generation of artificial pitches.
The three-year trial will assess durability, playability, safety, and sustainability. By 2028, SvFF hopes to have clear answers on which materials can truly replace microplastics for good.
Five test pitches
There are five test sites, strategically spread across the country. Måsberget in Gävle represents the northernmost location, while Kviberg in Gothenburg is the southernmost.
The pitches are full-size facilities, carefully selected by SvFF in cooperation with local authorities and football clubs. This ensures the new materials are assessed under real match conditions, giving researchers and football organisations a better understanding of how they perform over time.
The five initial test beds are:
- Måsberget – Gävle
- Bromstens IP – Stockholm
- Torsbovallen– Trollhättan
- Furulunds IP – Partille
- Kviberg – Gothenburg
The project is also partly funded through UEFA’s Hattrick programme, highlighting the wider importance of finding more sustainable solutions for football infrastructure.
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