Standards for artificial grass pitches

In 2001 FIFA recognised that if artificial grass surfaces were to be accepted at the highest levels of the game it was necessary for them to replicate the playing qualities of good quality natural turf whilst also ensuring the risk of player injury was not increased. To ensure these objectives were achieved FIFA established its Quality Concept for Football Turf (see www.fifa.com). Under constant review as the technology to manufacture and test surfaces evolves the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf is a comprehensive set of test criteria designed to ensure only the highest quality pitches can achieve and retain the prestigious FIFA Recommended designations.

The FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf has two categories; the FIFA Two Star category is the higher grade and is intended for professional clubs wishing to compete on artificial grass surfaces at the highest levels of competition. It is this category that UEFA have adopted for their competitions.The requirements of a FIFA Two Star certified pitch are extremely demanding and are likely to only be retained in the longer term by pitches that have low to moderate use.

The FIFA One Star category (2009 edition) is aimed at pitches that are going to be subjected to higher levels of use; it has slightly wider bands of performance and more severe durability requirements than the FIFA Two Star category. It is this category that the FAI has adopted as its minimum standard for all FAI affiliated league and cup competitions.

Note: As companies wishing to benefit from the prestige of having FIFA certification on their pitches have to pay a licensing fee, FIFA have also published the International Artificial Turf Standard (IATS); this is technically equivalent to the FIFA One Star category

Training pitches

The FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf is a certification scheme for full size (11 a-side) pitches.Many artificial grass training pitches are not full size but still need to be built to provide durable, safe environments with the desired playing qualities. The FAI therefore recommend that they are constructed with artificial grass surfaces that meet the laboratory test requirements of the FIFA One Star category (2009 edition) and that pitches are independently tested following construction in accordance with IS EN 15330-1. If (as is also recommended) a pitch is periodically retested through its life the maximum ball roll limit after 1500 hours play should be increased to 12m (in line with the FIFA One Star category - 2009 edition).

Multi-sports pitches

Many artificial grass pitches have to be used for more than one sport and this inevitably results in compromises in performance. In making such compromises it is important that the playing characteristics of the sports or the protection provided to players is not reduced to a point at which the surface fails to provide a satisfactory playing environment.

Football – GAA

The GAA has developed its own standard for artificial grass pitches (GAA Performance Standards and Construction for Synthetic Turf Pitches) and any organisation considering a dual use football and GAA pitch should ensure it fully satisfies FIFA and GAA standards.

Football – Rugby

The International Rugby Board has also developed its own standard for artificial grass rugby surfaces used for competitive play (IRB Regulation 22 – Artificial Playing Surfaces) and if a pitch is intended for football and rugby it should comply with the FIFA One Star Standard and IRB Regulation 22.

Football – Hockey

Whilst experience shows high level hockey cannot be played successfully on all types of long pile surfaces, certain forms do allow low level and basic hockey training to take place. When hockey is required as a secondary sport the artificial grass surface should satisfy the football requirements of the FIFA standard and the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Handbook of Performance Requirements for Synthetic Turf Pitches.