{"id":3188,"date":"2026-10-16T09:36:33","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T07:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/staging.topgreen.de\/ratgeber\/football-pitch-surfaces-construction-and-artificial-turf-vs-natural-grass\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T12:49:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T11:49:30","slug":"football-pitch-surfaces-construction-and-artificial-turf-vs-natural-grass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topgreen.de\/en\/ratgeber\/football-pitch-surfaces-construction-and-artificial-turf-vs-natural-grass\/","title":{"rendered":"Football Pitch: Surfaces, Construction and Artificial Turf vs. Natural Grass"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In short<\/p>\n\n\n

A football pitch can be built with natural grass<\/strong>, artificial turf<\/strong>, hybrid turf<\/strong>, or as a gravel pitch<\/strong> (hard court). Artificial turf can withstand significantly more intensive use: a study cited by the City of D\u00fcsseldorf puts natural grass at around 830 hours of use per year<\/strong> and artificial turf at up to roughly 2,500 hours<\/strong>. The standard size for a full-size pitch is 105 \u00d7 68 m. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Whether you’re a club, school or municipality, building or renovating a football pitch means facing the question of the right surface. Each option has its own strengths in terms of playing feel, durability, maintenance and environmental impact. Here you’ll find an overview of construction and surface types, plus a direct comparison of artificial turf and natural grass. <\/p>\n\n

The four common pitch types<\/h2>\n\n
Pitch type<\/th>Surface<\/th>Typical use<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Natural grass<\/a><\/td>Sports turf on a root zone layer<\/td>Stadiums, main pitches, match play<\/td><\/tr>
Artificial turf<\/a><\/td>Synthetic turf, usually infilled<\/td>Training and match play, year-round<\/td><\/tr>
Hybrid turf<\/a><\/td>Natural grass with integrated synthetic fibers<\/td>Professional stadiums<\/td><\/tr>
Gravel pitch<\/td>water-bound surface (brick dust, lava)<\/td>older facilities, increasingly being converted<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

How is an artificial turf pitch constructed?<\/h2>\n\n

A modern artificial turf pitch consists of several layers. In Germany, DIN 18035-7<\/a> describes the construction and testing requirements: <\/p>\n\n

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  1. Subgrade and formation level<\/strong> \u2013 load-bearing and properly sloped<\/li>\n\n
  2. Drainage and base course<\/strong> \u2013 drain water and carry loads<\/li>\n\n
  3. Elastic layer<\/a><\/strong> (optional) \u2013 provides shock absorption<\/a> and cushioning<\/li>\n\n
  4. Synthetic turf<\/strong> \u2013 filled with quartz sand<\/a> and, depending on the system, an elastic infill<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    For pitches using synthetic granulate, the EU restriction on microplastics<\/a> must be taken into account: from October 2031, granulate may no longer be sold as infill material. Alternatives include cork<\/a>, sand, or unfilled systems. <\/p>\n\n

    Artificial Turf vs. Natural Grass: The Comparison<\/h2>\n\n
    Criterion<\/th>Artificial turf<\/th>Natural grass<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Hours of use per year<\/td>up to approx. 2,500<\/td>approx. 830<\/td><\/tr>
    Weather dependency<\/td>low, playable almost year-round<\/td>high, closures during wet or frosty conditions<\/td><\/tr>
    Maintenance<\/td>brushing, redistributing infill, deep cleaning<\/td>mowing, fertilizing, watering, overseeding<\/td><\/tr>
    Playing feel<\/td>consistent, depending on system<\/td>natural, depending on condition<\/td><\/tr>
    Temperature<\/td>heats up significantly in the sun<\/td>cools through evaporation<\/td><\/tr>
    Environment<\/td>plastic, microplastics concern with granulate<\/td>water and fertilizer use<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
    Usage hours: response from the administration of the state capital D\u00fcsseldorf (2017), referencing a study by the \u00d6ko-Institut<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

    How big is a football pitch?<\/h2>\n\n

    The standard full-size pitch measures 105 \u00d7 68 m, or 7,140 m\u00b2. The rules of football allow for a national length of 90\u2013120 m and a width of 45\u201390 m. You’ll find all dimensions, including penalty area, goal and youth pitch sizes, in our guide Football Pitch Size<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

    Quality and certification<\/h2>\n\n

    In addition to the DIN standard, there’s the international testing program FIFA Quality<\/a>, with the levels FIFA Quality and FIFA Quality Pro. Among other things, it tests ball roll behavior<\/a>, shock absorption, weather resistance and durability. <\/p>\n\n

    Maintaining an artificial turf pitch<\/h2>\n\n

    An artificial turf pitch also needs regular maintenance to retain its playing properties and last a long time:<\/p>\n\n