The grass on soccer fields is a large green surface, which, in addition to being a pretty image, represents a venue that makes players feel comfortable and prevents injuries
Types of grass for soccer fields
The grass usually carries the seeds of the varieties: “Festuca arundinácea”, “Poa pratensis”, “Lolium perenne” “Bermuda grass”, according to the indices of the UNE 41959-1:2002 IN standard, that vary depending on the weather and the type of subsoil.
Some soccer fields are betting on hybrid planting, with an artificial base and seed sowing on top.
Types of seeds according to the climate and the UNE regulations
In addition, the field will have an automatic irrigation and drainage system according to the UNE 41952-2 standard, with a set of sprinklers that will be buried and protected with a safety cover.
There was not always a regulation that regulated its state and this meant that football clubs sometimes played with the state of the grass according to their interests, in terms of hardness, humidity, even the shape of the cut looking for curious shapes as shown in the figure.
Today the soccer fields have fixed regulations, according to the categories, which we are going to try to outline.
Turf regulations on soccer fields
All football pitches have been governed since the 1016/2017 season by the same UNE 41951-1 regulation.
- The height of the grass, which should be between 15 and 35 millimeters for a high level, 20 and 50 for a medium level, and between 20 and 60 for a basic level.
- The size of the plot. They oscillate according to the level of the party. For a high-level one, they must be 105 meters by 68, which makes a total of 7,140 square meters.
- The degree of humidity, provided that the weather conditions allow it.
- Control of vegetation cover, avoiding weeds
- The firmness of the grass is a parameter related to moisture. Different measurements must be made and the average must be between 65 and 120 grams at the high level, 55 and 140 at the medium level, and between 35 and 150 at the basic level.
- Traction rotational, that is, the resistance to the breaking of the surface layer, favoring the player's grip.
- Test of felt thickness and rooting depth.
- Degree of rolling of the ball or interaction between the ball and the turf.
- Degree of bounce of the ball, placing it at a height of 3 meters, according to the regulations, it will bounce between 25 and 45 cm for high level.
Levels
| Herb | High level | Medium level | Basic level |
| Grass height in mm | 15-35 | 20-50 | 20-60 |
| Felt thickness/mm | Under 10(15) | Under 10(15) | Under 10(15) |
| Live vegetation cover (%) | Over 95 | Over 90 | Over 85 |
| Weeds (%) | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Pests or diseases | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Lawn uniformity at 3 mm distance (%) | Under 12 | Under 18 | Under 25 |
| Uniformidad de césped con marcador de perfil | Under 6 | Under 10 | Under 10 |
| Infiltration (mm/h) | over 50 | over 20 | over 10 |
| Ball bounce (%) | 25-45 | 20-50 | 15-55 |
| Rolling ball (m) | 5-12 | 3-12 | 2-14 |
| Hardness (grams) | 65-120 | 55-140 | 35-150 |
| Tracción (Nm) | over 45 | over 40 | over 35 |
- The marks must be white, with a maximum width dimension of 12 cm. as the width of the goal stick. When the grass is hybrid, the white markings are fixed with artificial grass.
- The cut is always widthwise, one going and one returning up to a total of 18 stripes, with fixed measurements as indicated in the diagram, so that the fields of the Spanish league are identified with the type of lawn mowing.
¿How rolling is measured?
- Identification of the surface, location and area and previous history.
- Average rolling value per area, individual results if required and details of any deviation from the procedure.
This is tested with a one meter high ramp at a 45º angle, the ball is placed on top and allowed to roll naturally.
The test should be performed at several points. They will reach between 5 and 12 meters for high level, between 3 and 12 meters for national level and between 2 and 14 for local level as indicated in the table above.
Targets of Plantae on soccer fields
Given the importance of grass control on football pitches, especially in league matches and international competitions, irrigation control is essential to avoid:
- Waterlogging that are not favorable and it is more complicated to comply with the regulations.
- Deficiencies of water that harm the appearance of the grass while at the same time influencing the hardening of the ground.
- Saving water.
Plantae is meeting with several first and second division clubs within the LFP to listen to your needs and install humidity, conductivity and temperature sensors. In this way, it controls the need for irrigation, the accumulation of salts and the quality of the root system with the control of the subsoil temperature.
The accumulation of salts makes the soil compact and the absorption of water and nutrients is altered.
The sensors/probe have the advantages of:
- They provide information in real time on the state of the lawn.
- Control salinity and humidity.
- Measure the temperature of the subsoil.
- Control the flow of the pipes by adapting a sectoral flowmeter.
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