The grass on the football pitches of the Spanish La Liga

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.

Tipos de césped
Types of grass on soccer fields

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

Césped en los campos de fútbol
The grass on soccer fields: 1-Atlantic climate 2-Continental Climate 3-Mediterranean climate 4-Arid Mediterranean climate (rainfall less than 250 mm.)
Grass on soccer fields
Grass on soccer fields

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

HerbHigh levelMedium levelBasic level
Grass height in mm15-3520-5020-60
Felt thickness/mmUnder 10(15)Under 10(15)Under 10(15)
Live vegetation cover (%)Over 95Over 90Over 85
Weeds (%)5510
Pests or diseases234
Lawn uniformity at 3 mm distance (%)Under 12Under 18Under 25
Uniformidad de césped con marcador de perfilUnder 6Under 10Under 10
Infiltration (mm/h)over 50over 20over 10
Ball bounce (%)25-4520-5015-55
Rolling ball (m)5-123-122-14
Hardness (grams)65-12055-14035-150
Tracción (Nm)over 45over 40over 35
Turf regulations on soccer fields
  • 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.
hybrid 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.
Campo de fútbol
Soccer field of dimensions 100×60

¿How rolling is measured?

Rolling ramp
Rolling ramp
  • 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.
sensores/sondas de humedad
Sprinkler irrigation with probes. 1-Sprinkler / emitter. 2-Humidity sensors / probes. 3-Wet Bullbo. 4-Accumulation of salts.

Sources:

Ministerio de Cultura y deporte

Plantae agro

Are you looking for specialized information?

Contact now for free and without obligation with our team of Agronomic Engineering

en_GBEnglish