Mechanical assessment of artificial turf football pitches: The consequences of no quality certification

Abstract

The aim of the study is to assess a sample of twenty artificial football turf pitches (3rd Generation) of the Spanish football league. 7 regulatory tests were conducted ‘in situ’ as presented in EN 15330-1:2007 and Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) rules. None of the pitches examined passed the 7 field tests of the certification protocols. Only 1 of the fields assessed passed 5 of the 7 tests in the EN protocol. The characteristics of the artificial turf system, such as the type of fibre, type of rubber infill or elastic base have an influence on the mechanical properties of the pitch. Standardization should be compulsory in new artificial turf grounds, regardless of the sporting competition that is held. Key words: Artificial turf, quality, field test, Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), EN rules.