Editing Artificial turf (section)

==Sports applications==

===Baseball===
[[File:Tropicana field.jpg|thumb|right|[[Tropicana Field]] with its artificial turf field.]]
[[File:Sunset HS artificial-turf baseball field - Beaverton, Oregon (2016).jpg|thumb|right|An artificial-turf field at a high school in Oregon.]]
Artificial turf was first used in [[Major League Baseball]] in the Houston [[Astrodome]] in 1966, replacing the grass field used when the stadium opened a year earlier. Even though the grass was specifically bred for indoor use, the dome's semi-transparent [[Lucite]] ceiling panels, which had been painted white to cut down on glare that bothered the players, did not pass enough sunlight to support the grass. For most of the [[1965 Houston Astros season|1965 season]], the [[Astros]] played on green-painted dirt and dead grass.

The solution was to install a new type of artificial grass on the field, ChemGrass, which became known as AstroTurf. Given its early use, the term ''astroturf'' has since been [[genericized]] as a term for any artificial turf.<ref>{{cite web |title=Definition of Astroturf – Dictionary.com |url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/astroturf |website=dictionary.com |access-date=May 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418021406/https://www.dictionary.com/browse/astroturf |archive-date=April 18, 2023|quote=This sense of the word has come to be frequently used as a generic term for any artificial turf (in the same way that other brand names have been genericized, such as xerox). When used this way, it’s often seen in lowercase (astroturf).}}</ref> Because the supply of AstroTurf was still low, only a limited amount was available for the first home game. There was not enough for the entire outfield, but there was enough to cover the traditional grass portion of the infield. The outfield remained painted dirt until after the [[1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Break]]. The team was sent on an extended road trip before the break, and on July 19, 1966, the installation of the outfield portion of AstroTurf was completed.

The [[Chicago White Sox]] became the first team to install artificial turf in an outdoor stadium, as they used it only in the infield and adjacent foul territory at [[Comiskey Park]] from 1969 through 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1969/04/16/page/77/article/sox-home-opener-today-horlen-to-start|title=Chicago Tribune – Historical Newspapers|website=Archives.chicagotribune.com|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105133126/http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1969/04/16/page/77/article/sox-home-opener-today-horlen-to-start/|archive-date=November 5, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Artificial turf was later installed in other new [[multi-purpose stadium]]s such as Pittsburgh's [[Three Rivers Stadium]], Philadelphia's [[Veterans Stadium]], and Cincinnati's [[Riverfront Stadium]]. Early AstroTurf baseball fields used the traditional all-dirt path, but starting in 1970 with Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/throwback-thursday-cincinnatis-riverfront-stadium-and-the-era-of-multipurpose-mistakes/ |title=Throwback Thursday: Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium and the Era of Multipurpose Mistakes |last=Moore |first=Jack |date=July 2, 2015 |website=vice.com |publisher=Vice |access-date=April 13, 2023 |quote=It was the first stadium to include dirt sliding pits around each base, something that has become standard in every turf baseball field built since.}}</ref> teams began using the "base cutout" layout on the diamond, with the only dirt being on the pitcher's mound, batter's circle, and in a five-sided diamond-shaped "sliding box" around each base. With this layout, a painted arc would indicate where the edge of the outfield grass would normally be, to assist fielders in positioning themselves properly. The last stadium in MLB to use this configuration was [[Rogers Centre]] in Toronto, when they switched to an all-dirt infield (but keeping the artificial turf) for the 2016 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/blue-jays-adding-dirt-infield-at-rogers-centre-c164164706 |title=Blue Jays adding dirt infield at Rogers Centre |date=February 10, 2016 |website=MLB.com |access-date=August 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107023132/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/164164706/blue-jays-adding-dirt-infield-at-rogers-centre/ |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/bluejays/2016/02/11/blue-jays-begin-work-on-all-dirt-infield-at-rogers-centre.html|title = Blue Jays begin work on all-dirt infield at Rogers Centre|website = [[Toronto Star]]|date = February 11, 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Joe Austin Park Qns 35 - Resurfacing.jpg|thumb|right|Artificial turf being installed on a baseball field in Queens, New York City.]]
The biggest difference in play on artificial turf was that the ball bounced higher than on real grass and also traveled faster, causing infielders to play farther back than they would normally so that they would have sufficient time to react. The ball also had a truer bounce than on grass so that on long throws fielders could deliberately bounce the ball in front of the player they were throwing to, with the certainty that it would travel in a straight line and not be deflected to the right or left. The biggest impact on the game of "turf", as it came to be called, was on the bodies of the players. The artificial surface, which was generally placed over a concrete base, had much less give to it than a traditional dirt and grass field did, which caused more wear-and-tear on knees, ankles, feet, and the lower back, possibly even shortening the careers of those players who played a significant portion of their games on artificial surfaces. Players also complained that the turf was much hotter than grass, sometimes causing the metal spikes to burn their feet or plastic ones to melt. These factors eventually provoked a number of stadiums, such as the [[Kansas City Royals]]' [[Kauffman Stadium]], to switch from artificial turf back to natural grass.

In 2000, St. Petersburg's [[Tropicana Field]] became the first MLB field to use a third-generation artificial surface, [[FieldTurf]]. All other remaining artificial turf stadiums were either converted to third-generation surfaces or were replaced entirely by new natural grass stadiums. In a span of 13 years, between 1992 and 2005, the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] went from having half of its teams using artificial turf to all of them playing on natural grass. With the replacement of Minneapolis's [[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome]] by [[Target Field]] in 2010, only two MLB stadiums used artificial turf from 2010 through 2018: Tropicana Field and Toronto's Rogers Centre. This number grew to three when the Arizona Diamondbacks switched [[Chase Field]] to artificial turf for the 2019 season; the stadium had grass from its opening in 1998 until 2018, but the difficulty of maintaining the grass in the stadium, which has a retractable roof and is located in a desert city, was cited as the reason for the switch.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2018/10/12/arizona-diamondbacks-installing-synthetic-grass-chase-field-2019/1614391002/ |title=Arizona Diamondbacks installing synthetic grass at Chase Field  |date=October 12, 2018 |website=azcentral.com |access-date=October 13, 2018}}</ref> In 2020, Miami's [[Marlins Park]] (now loanDepot Park) also switched to artificial turf for similar reasons, while the Texas Rangers' new [[Globe Life Field]] was opened with an artificial surface, as it is also a retractable roof ballpark in a hot weather city; this puts the number of teams using synthetic turf in MLB at five as of 2023.

===American football===
The first professional American football team to play on artificial turf was the [[Houston Oilers]], then part of the [[American Football League]], who moved into the [[Astrodome]] in 1968, which had installed AstroTurf two years prior. In 1969, the [[Penn Quakers football|University of Pennsylvania]]'s [[Franklin Field]] in Philadelphia, at the time also home field of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], switched from grass to AstroTurf, making it the first [[National Football League]] stadium to use artificial turf.

In 2002, [[CenturyLink Field]], originally planned to have a natural grass field, was instead surfaced with FieldTurf upon positive reaction from the [[Seattle Seahawks]] when they played on the surface at their temporary home of [[Husky Stadium]] during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. This would be the first of a leaguewide trend taking place over the next several seasons that would not only result in teams already using artificial surfaces for their fields switching to the new FieldTurf or other similar surfaces but would also see several teams playing on grass adopt a new surface. (The [[Indianapolis Colts]]' [[RCA Dome]] and the [[Los Angeles Rams|St. Louis Rams]]' [[Edward Jones Dome]] were the last two stadiums in the NFL to replace their first-generation AstroTurf surfaces for next-generation ones after the [[2004 NFL season|2004 season]]). For example, after a three-year experiment with a natural surface, [[Giants Stadium]] went to FieldTurf for 2003, while [[M&T Bank Stadium]] added its own artificial surface the same year (it has since been removed and replaced with a natural surface, which the stadium had before installing the turf). Later examples include [[Paul Brown Stadium]] (now Paycor Stadium), which went from grass to turf in 2004; [[Gillette Stadium]], which made the switch in 2006;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/patriots/2006-11-14-testaverde-turf_x.htm|title=Pats sign Testaverde; Gillette Stadium's grass field replaced with Field Turf|date=November 14, 2006|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419100741/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/patriots/2006-11-14-testaverde-turf_x.htm|archive-date=April 19, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[NRG Stadium]], which did so in 2015. As of 2021, 14 NFL fields out of 30 are artificial.
NFL players overwhelmingly prefer natural grass over synthetic surfaces, according to a league survey conducted in 2010. When asked, "Which surface do you think is more likely to shorten your career?", 90% responded artificial turf.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.turfgrasssod.org/files/file/51cac15a-90c9-4c9f-be03-6d398c916a05 |title=Archived copy |access-date=May 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111184506/http://www.turfgrasssod.org/files/file/51cac15a-90c9-4c9f-be03-6d398c916a05 |archive-date=January 11, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> When players were asked "Is the Turf versus Grass debate overblown or a real concern"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Staff |first=The Athletic NFL |title=Anonymous NFL player poll 2023: Best player? Biggest trash talker? Most annoying fans? |work=The New York Times |url=https://theathletic.com/5067161/2023/11/21/nfl-player-poll-2023/ |access-date=December 11, 2023}}</ref> in an anonymous player survey, 83% believe it is a real concern while 12.3% believe it is overblown.

Following receiver [[Odell Beckham Jr.]]'s injury during [[Super Bowl LVI]], other NFL players started calling for turf to be banned since the site of the game, [[SoFi Stadium]], was a turf field.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Odell Beckham Jr.'s injury in Super Bowl prompts NFL players to speak out against turf fields|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/odell-beckham-jr-injury-super-bowl-turf-field/iytk5tds7eexsfljn4qhf66c|access-date=February 16, 2022|website=sportingnews.com|date=February 14, 2022}}</ref>

[[Arena football]] is played indoors on the older short-pile artificial turf.

===Canadian football===
The first professional [[Canadian football]] stadium to use artificial turf was [[Empire Stadium (Vancouver)|Empire Stadium]] in [[Vancouver, British Columbia]], then home of the [[Canadian Football League]]'s [[BC Lions]], which installed 3M TartanTurf in 1970. Today, eight of the nine stadiums in the CFL currently use artificial turf, largely because of the harsh weather conditions in the latter-half of the season. The only one that does not is [[BMO Field]] in Toronto, which initially had an artificial pitch and has been shared by the CFL's [[Toronto Argonauts]] since 2016 (part of the endzones at that stadium are covered with artificial turf).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/bmo-field-tfc-argonauts-1.3522032|title=BMO Field: New renovations accommodate TFC, Argos – CBC Sports|website=Cbc.ca|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131015552/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/bmo-field-tfc-argonauts-1.3522032|archive-date=January 31, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The first stadium to use the next-generation surface was Ottawa's Frank Clair Stadium (now [[TD Place Stadium]]), which the [[Ottawa Renegades]] used when they began play in [[2002 CFL season|2002]]. The [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]]' [[Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field|Taylor Field]] was the only major professional sports venue in North America to use a second-generation artificial playing surface, [[Omniturf]], which was used from 1988 to 2000, followed by AstroTurf from 2000 to 2007 and FieldTurf from 2007 to its 2016 closure.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.riderville.com/2002/06/12/history/ |title=History |publisher=Saskatchewan Roughriders |date=June 12, 2002 |access-date=January 10, 2021 |quote=In 1988, the Roughriders replaced the first artificial turf with a new type of system called OmniTurf. Unlike AstroTurf, OmniTurf was an inlay turf system, which relied on 300 tons of sand to hold it in place (rather than the traditional glued-down system). Over the years, a number of problems occurred with this system and it eventually became necessary to replace it prior to its usable age being reached.}}</ref>

===Cricket===
Some [[cricket pitch]]es are made of synthetic grass<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 12, 2015|title=Artificial (pitch) intelligence – all you need to know|url=https://www.cricketworld.com/artificial-pitch-intelligence-all-you-need-to-know/41473.htm|access-date=November 27, 2020|website=Cricket World}}</ref> or of a hybrid of mostly natural and some artificial grass, with these "hybrid pitches" having been implemented across several parts of the [[United Kingdom]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nolan|first=Grace|date=April 4, 2019|title=SIS Pitches uses hybrid grass technology to transform cricket|url=https://www.britishplastics.co.uk/api/content/6b0fdbea-56af-11e9-9dff-12f1225286c6/|access-date=November 27, 2020|website=British Plastics and Rubber}}</ref> and Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stitched pitch – SACA adds hybrid wickets|url=http://www.saca.com.au/news/hybrid-pitch-install-park-25/2019-08-19|access-date=November 27, 2020|website=Cricket SA}}</ref> The first synthetic turf cricket field in the USA was opened in [[Fremont, California]] in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 11, 2016|title=Fremont: First official, fully lighted cricket field opens Aug. 21|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/08/11/fremont-first-official-fully-lighted-cricket-field-opens-aug-21/|access-date=November 27, 2020|website=The Mercury News}}</ref>

===Field hockey===
{{Further|Field hockey history#The synthetic revolution}}

The introduction of synthetic surfaces has significantly changed the sport of [[field hockey]]. Since being introduced in the 1970s, competitions in western countries are now mostly played on artificial surfaces. This has increased the speed of the game considerably and changed the shape of hockey sticks to allow for different techniques, such as reverse stick trapping and hitting.

Field hockey artificial turf differs from artificial turf for other sports, in that it does not try to reproduce a grass feel, being made of shorter fibers. This allows the improvement in speed brought by earlier artificial turfs to be retained. This development is problematic for areas which cannot afford to build an extra artificial field for hockey alone. The [[International Hockey Federation]] and manufacturers are driving research in order to produce new fields that will be suitable for a variety of sports.

The use of artificial turf in conjunction with changes in the game's rules (e.g., the removal of offside, introduction of rolling substitutes and the self-pass, and to the interpretation of obstruction) have contributed significantly to change the nature of the game, greatly increasing the speed and intensity of play as well as placing far greater demands on the conditioning of the players.

===Association football===
[[File:Aspmyra stadion.jpg|thumb|right|[[Aspmyra]], Norway: home of the [[association football|football]] club [[FK Bodø/Glimt]]]]
[[File:Football in the City Stadium - geograph.org.uk - 5459076.jpg|thumb|A slide tackle driving up crumbed rubber in the playing surface]]
The use of artificial turf, and whether they are not allowed or not, varies between different tournaments and time periods. Though grass is preferred in general in association football, artificial turf is found in areas where it is seen as impractical to maintain natural grass season-long, with causes including very cold climates (For instance [[Norway]]'s [[Eliteserien]]) or multi-purpose stadiums ([[Seattle]]'s [[Lumen Field]]).

====Use permitted====
*[[UEFA Champions League]] (2005–)
*[[UEFA Europa League]] (2005–)
*[[UEFA Conference League]]
*[[FIFA]] national team matches (200?–)
*[[UEFA]] national team matches (2005–)
*[[FA Cup]]
*[[Swiss Super League]]
*[[Allsvenskan]]
*[[Danish Superliga]]
*[[Eliteserien]]
*[[Veikkausliiga]]
*[[Meistriliiga]]
*[[Cymru Premier]]
*[[CONMEBOL]] tournaments<ref name=elaltobolivia>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5746338/2024/10/11/bolivia-altitude-el-alto-colombia/|author=Stuart James|publisher=[[The Athletic]]|date=11 October 2024|accessdate=6 May 2025|title=Bolivia are thriving at high altitude in their new home at El Alto – 4,150m above sea level}}</ref>
*[[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A]] (2016–)
*[[Bolivian Primera División]]<ref name=elaltobolivia/>
*[[Major League Soccer]]

====Use prohibited====
*[[Football League First Division]] / [[Premier League]] (1991–)
*[[Football League]] tiers 2-4 (1995–)
*[[Indian Super League]] (2015–)
*[[Eredivisie]] (2025–)
*[[Scottish Premiership]] (2026–)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cn0042w514do|title=Artificial pitches to be banned in Premiership from 2026|publisher=[[BBC]]|accessdate=6 May 2025|date=30 April 2024}}</ref>

====History in United Kingdom====
Some [[association football]] clubs in Europe installed synthetic surfaces in the 1980s, which were called "plastic pitches" (often derisively) in countries such as England. There, four professional club venues had adopted them; [[Queens Park Rangers]]'s [[Loftus Road]] (1981–1988), [[Luton Town]]'s [[Kenilworth Road]] (1985–1991), [[Oldham Athletic]]'s [[Boundary Park]] (1986–1991) and [[Preston North End]]'s [[Deepdale]] (1986–1994). QPR had been the first team to install an artificial pitch at their stadium in 1981, but were the first to remove it when they did so in 1988.

Artificial pitches were banned from top-flight (then First Division) football in 1991, forcing Oldham Athletic to remove their artificial pitch after their promotion to the First Division in 1991, while then top-flight Luton Town also removed their artificial pitch at the same time. The last [[Football League]] team to have an artificial pitch in England was Preston North End, who removed their pitch in 1994 after eight years in use. Artificial pitches were banned from the top four divisions from 1995.

Artificial turf gained a bad reputation{{POV statement|date=September 2023}} globally, with fans and especially with players. The first-generation artificial turf surfaces were carpet-like in their look and feel, and thus, a far harder surface than grass and soon became known{{by whom|date=September 2023}} as an unforgiving playing surface that was prone to cause more [[injuries]], and in particular, more serious joint injuries, than would comparatively be suffered on a grass surface. This turf was also regarded as aesthetically unappealing to many fans{{weasel inline|date=September 2023}}.

<blockquote>In 1981, London football club [[Queens Park Rangers]] dug up its grass pitch and installed an artificial one. Others followed, and by the mid-1980s there were four artificial surfaces in operation in the English league. They soon became a national joke: the ball pinged round like it was made of rubber, the players kept losing their footing, and anyone who fell over risked carpet burns. Unsurprisingly, fans complained that the football was awful to watch and, one by one, the clubs returned to natural grass.<ref name=newscientist>{{cite journal | last=Lawton | first=Graham | title=Field battle over artificial grass | journal=New Scientist | issue=2502 | page=35 | date=4 June 2005 | url=https://www.newscientist.com/channel/mech-tech/mg18625021.300 | access-date=11 January 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060217120227/http://www.newscientist.com/channel/mech-tech/mg18625021.300 | archive-date=17 February 2006 | url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>

In November 2011, it was reported that a number of English football clubs were interested in using artificial pitches again on economic grounds.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15722636.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Clubs want artificial turf return | date=November 18, 2011}}</ref> As of January 2020, artificial pitches are not permitted in the [[Premier League]] or [[Football League]] but are permitted in the [[National League (division)|National League]] and lower divisions. [[Bromley F.C.|Bromley]] are an example of an English football club who currently use a third-generation artificial pitch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.footballgroundguide.com/news/artificial-3g-pitches-rise-up-the-football-league-pyramid.html|title=Artificial 3G Pitches: Coming to a ground near you?|date=April 26, 2016 |access-date=October 30, 2016|publisher=Football Ground Guide|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031085223/http://www.footballgroundguide.com/news/artificial-3g-pitches-rise-up-the-football-league-pyramid.html|archive-date=October 31, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018, Sutton United were close to achieving promotion to the Football League and the debate in England about artificial pitches resurfaced again. It was reported that, if Sutton won promotion, they would subsequently be demoted two leagues if they refused to replace their pitch with natural grass.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/artificial-pitches-english-football-league-sutton-united-maidstone-united-3g-a8233561.html|title=Plastic liberals vs conservative stick-in-the-muds: The debate around artificial pitches which isn't going away|date=February 28, 2018|access-date=January 25, 2020|newspaper=The Independent|location=London}}</ref> After [[Harrogate Town]]'s promotion to the Football League in 2020, the club was obliged to install a natural grass pitch at [[Wetherby Road]];<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53541549|title=National League promotion final: Harrogate Town beat Notts County 3-1 to secure place in League 2|date=August 2, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> and after winning promotion in 2021 Sutton Utd were also obliged to tear up their artificial pitch and replace it with grass, at a cost of more than £500,000.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57336301|title=Sutton United: Replacing pitch will cost promoted club over £500,000|date=June 2, 2021|access-date=July 7, 2021|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]}}</ref> Artificial pitches are permitted in all rounds of the [[FA Cup]] competition.

====History elsewhere====
In the 1990s, many North American soccer clubs also removed their artificial surfaces and re-installed grass, while others moved to new stadiums with state-of-the-art grass surfaces that were designed to withstand cold temperatures where the climate demanded it. The use of artificial turf was later banned by [[FIFA]], [[UEFA]] and by many domestic football associations, but FIFA and UEFA allowed it again from the mid-2000's (UEFA from the 2005–06 season onwards), provided that the turfs are FIFA Recommended. UEFA has now been heavily involved in programs to test artificial turf, with tests made in several grounds meeting with FIFA approval. A team of UEFA, FIFA and German company Polytan conducted tests in the Stadion Salzburg Wals-Siezenheim in Salzburg, Austria which had matches played on it in UEFA Euro 2008. It is the second FIFA 2 Star approved artificial turf in a European domestic top flight, after Dutch club [[Heracles Almelo]] received the FIFA certificate in August 2005.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070210221002/http://www.uefa.com/uefa/keytopics/kind%3D1048576/newsid%3D384286.html Salzburg turf approval]. UEFA.com (January 12, 2006)</ref> The tests were approved.<ref>Mark Chaplin (November 10, 2004) [https://web.archive.org/web/20070210221002/http://www.uefa.com/uefa/keytopics/kind%3D1048576/newsid%3D256667.html Approval for artificial fields]. UEFA.com</ref>

FIFA originally launched its FIFA Quality Concept in February 2001.

A full international fixture for the [[UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Group E|2008 European Championships]] was played on October 17, 2007, between [[England national football team|England]] and [[Russia national football team|Russia]] on an artificial surface, which was installed to counteract adverse weather conditions, at the [[Luzhniki Stadium]] in Moscow.<ref>{{cite news | title=England to play on synthetic turf | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6292200.stm | publisher=BBC News | date=July 11, 2007 | access-date=January 11, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008203351/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6292200.stm | archive-date=October 8, 2007 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Field 'No Excuse' For England| url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/international/england/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/07/10/10/SOCCER_England_Pitch.html| work=Sporting Life UK| access-date=January 11, 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605001522/http://www.sportinglife.com/football/international/england/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer%2F07%2F10%2F10%2FSOCCER_England_Pitch.html| archive-date=June 5, 2011| url-status=live}}</ref> It was one of the first full international games to be played on such a surface approved by FIFA and UEFA. The latter ordered the [[2007–08 UEFA Champions League|2008 European Champions League]] final hosted in the same stadium in May 2008 to place on grass, so a temporary natural grass field was installed just for the final.

In 2007, UEFA stressed that artificial turf should only be considered an option where climatic conditions necessitate.<ref>{{cite news | author=Martyn Ziegler | title=England could slip up on plastic field, warns Ferguson | url=http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/internationals/article3043695.ece | work=The Independent | date=October 10, 2007 | access-date=January 11, 2008 | location=London | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112050947/http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/internationals/article3043695.ece | archive-date=January 12, 2008 | url-status=dead }}</ref> One Desso "[[hybrid grass]]" product incorporates both natural grass and artificial elements.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dessosports.com/hybrid-grass |title=Desso GrassMaster hybrid grass > reinforced natural grass &#124; Desso Sports Systems |publisher=Dessosports.com |access-date=December 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210154517/http://www.dessosports.com/hybrid-grass |archive-date=December 10, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In June 2009, following a match played at [[Estadio Ricardo Saprissa]] in Costa Rica, [[United States men's national soccer team|American national team]] manager [[Bob Bradley]] called on FIFA to "have some courage" and ban artificial surfaces.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2011/Apr/25/plastic-pitches-will-be-a-pain-247789.html|publisher=The New Indian Express|title=Plastic pitches will be a pain|date=16 May 2012|access-date=2 May 2025}}</ref>

{{Anchor|FIFA star system}}
FIFA designated a star system for artificial turf fields that have undergone a series of tests that examine quality and performance based on a two star system.<ref>{{cite web|title=FIFA Quality Concept – Handbook of Test Methods for Football Turf|publisher=FIFA|access-date=July 20, 2017|url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/pitch&equipment/68/52/24/fqctestmethodmanual(may2009).pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403132527/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/pitch%26equipment/68/52/24/fqctestmethodmanual%28may2009%29.pdf|archive-date=April 3, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Recommended two-star fields may be used for FIFA Final Round Competitions as well as for [[UEFA Europa League]] and [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] matches.<ref>{{cite web|title=Football Turf |url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/pitchequipment/footballturf/recommendedinstallations.html |publisher=FIFA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228035516/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/pitchequipment/footballturf/recommendedinstallations.html |archive-date=February 28, 2008 }}</ref> There are currently 130 FIFA Recommended 2-Star installations in the world.<ref>{{cite web|title=Football Fields |url=https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/pitchequipment/footballturf/recommendedinstallations.html |publisher=FIFA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228035516/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/developing/pitchequipment/footballturf/recommendedinstallations.html |archive-date=February 28, 2008 }}</ref>

In 2009, FIFA launched the Preferred Producer Initiative to improve the quality of artificial football turf at each stage of the life cycle (manufacturing, installation and maintenance).<ref>[https://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/pitchequipment/footballfields/preferredproducers/list.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204043106/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/pitchequipment/footballfields/preferredproducers/list.html|date=December 4, 2011}}</ref> Currently, there are five manufacturers that were selected by FIFA: Act Global, Limonta, Desso, GreenFields, and Edel Grass. These firms have made quality guarantees directly to FIFA and have agreed to increased research and development.

In 2010, [[Estadio Omnilife]] with an artificial turf opened in [[Guadalajara]] to be the new home of [[Chivas de Guadalajara|Chivas]], one of the most popular teams in Mexico. The owner of Chivas, [[Jorge Vergara]], defended the reasoning behind using artificial turf because the stadium was designed to be "environment friendly and as such, having grass would result [in] using too much water."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.obrasweb.mx/construccion/2012/05/17/chivas-cambiara-el-pasto-sintetico-que-costo-1-mdd|title=Chivas quitará el pasto sintético que costó 1 mdd – construccion|website=Obrasweb.mx|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801221323/http://obrasweb.mx/construccion/2012/05/17/chivas-cambiara-el-pasto-sintetico-que-costo-1-mdd|archive-date=August 1, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some players criticized the field, saying its harder surface caused many injuries. When [[Johan Cruyff]] became the adviser of the team, he recommended the switch to natural grass, which the team did in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/mexico/noticias/2012/07/19/el-estadio-omnilife-listo-con-pasto-natural|title=El Estadio Omnilife, listo con pasto natural|website=Mediotiempo.com|date=July 19, 2012 |access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708191912/http://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/mexico/noticias/2012/07/19/el-estadio-omnilife-listo-con-pasto-natural|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[2015 FIFA Women's World Cup]] took place entirely on artificial surfaces, as the event was played in Canada, where almost all of the country's stadiums use artificial turf due to climate issues. This plan garnered criticism from players and fans, some believing the artificial surfaces make players more susceptible to injuries. Over fifty of the female athletes protested against the use of artificial turf on the basis of [[gender discrimination]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/uswnt-stars-not-backing-down-on-stance-artificial-playing-surface-2015-womens-world-cup-091014|title=USWNT stars not backing down on artificial playing surface stance|publisher=Fox Sports|access-date=October 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020174608/http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/story/uswnt-stars-not-backing-down-on-stance-artificial-playing-surface-2015-womens-world-cup-091014|archive-date=October 20, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/story/_/id/11593274/elite-female-players-sue-fifa-canada-soccer-association-turf-use-women-world-cup|title=elite female players sue|publisher=ESPN|date=September 26, 2014|access-date=October 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003141251/http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/11593274/elite-female-players-sue-fifa-canada-soccer-association-turf-use-women-world-cup|archive-date=October 3, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Australia women's national soccer team|Australia]] winger [[Caitlin Foord]] said that after playing 90 minutes there was no difference to her post-match recovery – a view shared by the rest of the squad. The squad spent much time preparing on the surface and had no problems with its use in Winnipeg. "We've been training on [artificial] turf pretty much all year so I think we're kind of used to it in that way ... I think grass or turf you can still pull up sore after a game so it's definitely about getting the recovery in and getting it right", Foord said.<ref>{{cite news |author=Dominic Bossi |url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/matildas-stay-out-of-turf-war-at-womens-world-cup-20150610-ghkmbi |title=Matildas stay out of turf war at women's World Cup |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=June 10, 2015 |access-date=December 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109114213/http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/matildas-stay-out-of-turf-war-at-womens-world-cup-20150610-ghkmbi |archive-date=January 9, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> A lawsuit was filed on October 1, 2014, in an Ontario tribunal court by a group of women's international soccer players against FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association and specifically points out that in 1994 FIFA spent $2 million to plant natural grass over artificial turf in [[Giants Stadium|New Jersey]] and [[Silverdome|Detroit]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://womens.soccerly.com/2014/10/01/players-officially-file-lawsuit-against-fifa-csa-over-artificial-turf-at-2015-womens-world-cup/|title=Equalizer Soccer – Players officially file lawsuit against FIFA, CSA over artificial turf at 2015 Women's World Cup|website=Womens.soccerly.com|access-date=October 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005054909/http://womens.soccerly.com/2014/10/01/players-officially-file-lawsuit-against-fifa-csa-over-artificial-turf-at-2015-womens-world-cup|archive-date=October 5, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Various celebrities showed their support for the women soccer players in defense of their lawsuit, including actor [[Tom Hanks]], NBA player [[Kobe Bryant]] and [[United States men's national soccer team|U.S. men's soccer team]] keeper [[Tim Howard]]. Even with the possibility of boycotts, [[FIFA]]'s head of women's competitions, Tatjana Haenni, made it clear that "we play on artificial turf and there's no Plan B."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/1593031/players-file-lawsuit-in-canada-over-artificial-womens-world-cup-turf/|title=Players file lawsuit in Canada over artificial Women's World Cup turf|date=October 1, 2014|work=Global News|access-date=October 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008140210/http://globalnews.ca/news/1593031/players-file-lawsuit-in-canada-over-artificial-womens-world-cup-turf/|archive-date=October 8, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/1603131/fifa-officials-to-inspect-bc-place-turf-in-light-of-controversy/|title=FIFA officials to inspect BC Place turf in light of controversy|date=October 7, 2014|work=Global News|access-date=October 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008020435/http://globalnews.ca/news/1603131/fifa-officials-to-inspect-bc-place-turf-in-light-of-controversy/|archive-date=October 8, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

The first stadium to use artificial turf in Brazil was [[Atlético Paranaense]]'s [[Arena da Baixada]] in 2016. In 2020, the administration of [[Allianz Parque]], home of [[Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras]], started the implementation of the second artificial pitch in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-01/14/c_138703767.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114142248/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-01/14/c_138703767.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 14, 2020|title=Palmeiras begin installing synthetic pitch at Allianz Parque |agency=Xinhua News Agency|access-date=January 25, 2020}}</ref>

In 2024, the [[Eredivisie]] banned artificial turfs, meaning [[hybrid grass]] and [[Grass|natural grass]] became mandatory, starting from the 2025-26 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/kunstgras-definitief-verdrongen-eredivisieclubs-vanaf-de-zomer-van-2025-verplicht-op-echt-gras~a5c46a9c|publisher=AD|language=nl|title=Kunstgras definitief verdrongen: eredivisieclubs vanaf de zomer van 2025 verplicht op écht gras|date=20 October 2022|author1=Dennis van Bergen|author2=Sjoerd Mossou|access-date=2 May 2025}}</ref>

In UEFA tournaments, teams who are used to playing on artificial turf are seen as having a large home advantage against teams who don't, as was the case for [[Bodø/Glimt]]'s semi-final campaign in the [[2024–25 UEFA Europa League]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/ange-postecoglou-explains-how-tottenham-can-combat-artificial-pitch-at-bodo-glimt/|title=Ange Postecoglou reveals what he learned last time he played Bodo/Glimt|author=Rae Knwhoca|publisher=Spurs Web|date=30 April 2025|accessdate=3 May 2025}}</ref>

===Rugby union===
Rugby union also uses artificial surfaces at a professional level. Infill fields are used by English [[Premiership Rugby]] teams [[Gloucester Rugby|Gloucester]], [[Newcastle Falcons]], [[Saracens F.C.]] and the now defunct [[Worcester Warriors]], as well as [[United Rugby Championship]] teams [[Cardiff Rugby|Cardiff]], [[Edinburgh Rugby|Edinburgh]] and [[Glasgow Warriors]]. Some fields, including [[Twickenham Stadium]], have incorporated a hybrid field, with grass and synthetic fibers used on the surface. This allows for the field to be much more hard wearing, making it less susceptible to weather conditions and frequent use.

===Tennis===
{{Main article|Tennis court}}

Carpet has been used as a surface for indoor tennis courts for decades, though the first carpets used were more similar to home carpets than a synthetic grass. After the introduction of [[AstroTurf]], it came to be used for tennis courts, both indoor and outdoor, though only a small minority of courts use the surface.<ref name=ITF>{{cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/technical/facilities/facilities-guide/surface-descriptions.aspx|title=ITF surface descriptions|website=Itftennis.com|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613062539/https://www.itftennis.com/technical/facilities/facilities-guide/surface-descriptions.aspx|archive-date=June 13, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dow.com/artificialturfsolutions/other/tennis.htm |title=Tennis |website=Dow.com |date=August 3, 2001 |access-date=December 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151215170849/http://www.dow.com/artificialturfsolutions/other/tennis.htm |archive-date=December 15, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Both infill and non-infill versions are used, and are typically considered medium-fast to fast surfaces under the International Tennis Federation's classification scheme.<ref name=ITF/> A distinct form found in tennis is an "artificial clay" surface,<ref name=ITF/> which seeks to simulate a [[clay court]] by using a very short pile carpet with an infill of the same loose aggregate used for clay courts that rises above the carpet fibers.<ref name=ITF/>

[[Tennis court]]s such as [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] are considering using an artificial hybrid grass to replace their natural lawn courts. Such systems incorporate synthetic fibers into natural grass to create a more durable surface on which to play.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tennis365.com/grand-slam/wimbledon-artificial-grass-henman/|title=Wimbledon considering controversial plans to introduce artificial grass courts|work=Tennis365|access-date=July 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731124038/https://www.tennis365.com/grand-slam/wimbledon-artificial-grass-henman/|archive-date=July 31, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Such hybrid surfaces are currently used for some association football stadiums, including [[Wembley Stadium]].

===Golf===
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2021}}
Synthetic turf can also be used in the golf industry, such as on driving ranges, putting greens and even in some circumstances tee boxes. For low budget courses, particularly those catering to casual golfers, synthetic putting greens offer the advantage of being a relatively cheap alternative to installing and maintaining grass greens, but are much more similar to real grass in appearance and feel compared to sand greens which are the traditional alternative surface. Because of the vast areas of golf courses and the damage from clubs during shots, it is not feasible to surface fairways with artificial turf.

===Pesäpallo===
[[File:Veikkolan pesäpallostadion 2018.jpg|170px|right|thumb|The surface on Veikkolan pesäpallostadion in [[Lappajärvi]].]]
Though all [[pesäpallo]] teams in the higher leagues (including [[Superpesis]]) play on clay courts, several teams' stadiums use carpet-type artificial grass below the clay.

===Motor racing===
Artificial grass is used to line the perimeter of some sections of some motor circuits, and offers less grip than some other surfaces.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/48593772 |title= Sebastian Vettel: F1's rules-for-everything culture led to Canada penalty, says GPDA boss |publisher= [[BBC Sport]] |last= Benson |first= Andrew |date=June 11, 2019 |access-date= April 11, 2021}}</ref> It can pose an obstacle to drivers if it gets caught on their car.<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/formula1/19941017 |title= Korean GP: Hamilton hampered by loose astroturf |publisher= [[BBC Sport]] |date= October 12, 2012 |access-date= April 11, 2021}}</ref>