Editing Artificial turf (section)

===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>