FIFA
Quality Concept
for Football Turf
FIFA‘s mission
‘Develop the game, touch the
world, build a better future’
«Integrating the artificial turf surface into the Laws of the
Game is another milestone in the history of football. Millions
of players around the world will benefit from this decision,
as it will allow them to play their favourite sport on a more
regular basis and, above all, in difficult climatic conditions
that would make it impossible on natural turf pitches.»
Joseph S. Blatter (FIFA President)
Played by millions, football builds a bridge between different cultures across
the globe. As world football’s governing body, FIFA has a great responsibility towards all aspects of the game, which does not end with organising
the FIFA World Cup™ and the various other World Cup competitions. This
responsibility extends to safeguarding the Laws of the Game, developing the
game around the world and promoting football globally in the light of its
unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values, particularly through
youth and development programmes. Football development also means
making the game accessible to all players while constantly improving the
playing conditions.
FIFA Quality Concept
The FIFA Quality Concept is a comprehensive quality assurance programme
which covers products, services and technologies having a direct or indirect
impact on the game. It starts right at the basic precondition of every single
football match: a playing surface of the highest possible quality. This is precisely where the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf comes in.
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Artificial Turf
From artificial turf to
FIFA RECOMMENDED pitches
Artificial turf has been around for several decades and has been used for
several sports – with varying degrees of success and intensity – since the
first generation of 1960. The suitability of unfilled or sand-filled artificial turf
systems for football was always heavily discussed and it is therefore only with
the introduction of the third-generation systems (3G) that include both sand
and rubber infill that the surfaces have become a true alternative.
It is in this context that FIFA acknowledges the potential of artificial turf
for the development of football. Due to its resistance to weather and more
intense use it qualifies as the best alternative to natural grass. In order to
ensure the quality of the artificial surfaces used, FIFA established the FIFA
Quality Concept for Football Turf, which certifies final installations that have
gone through the testing procedure devised in 2001. This brochure gives you
the details of this concept and all its facets.
Ajax Amsterdam training center
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Consistent playing conditions all over the world
Modern artificial turf systems
allow for better playing conditions
A high-quality artificial turf system allows millions of football players to
practise their sport in the best possible conditions all year round. That means
no unplayable fields and abandoned matches anymore. Most current systems
are based on a carpet with artificial fibres that is typically filled with a mixture
of sand and rubber infill.
Rubber infill
Sand infill
Carpet
Asphalt layer
or equivalent
Aggregate
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Weather resistance in all conditions
(rain, snow, frost, etc.)
Good solution for indoor facilities or stadiums with
large areas of shade on the field (no sunlight required)
Simple maintenance and lower cost of maintenance
than natural turf
Fewer pitches needed thanks to higher usage
Multi-use pitches: training, matches, concerts and
other events can take place on the same field
Better and more consistent playing conditions –
all year long
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The Concept
The FIFA Quality Concept
for Football Turf
The FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf is the programme within FIFA that administers and develops
the standard for the performance of artificial turf
fields (consequentially referred to as football turf).
The FIFA RECOMMENDED quality mark distinguishes football turf fields that
are both resistant to weather and wear and offer playing conditions and performance comparable to natural turf. There are two distinct levels of certification
for a football turf installation, 1 STAR and 2 STAR, that reflect the needs of the
two main target groups: community level and professional football.
All FIFA RECOMMENDED fields are installed by companies that have adhered
to the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf and show commitment to increasing quality. This is particularly the case for FIFA Preferred Producers who, in addition to providing a high-quality surface, take charge of the entire process from
installation to maintenance.
Upon completion, all fields are tested by FIFA-accredited test institutes. They
also perform the laboratory tests on the samples prior to installation. These test
institutes are evaluated every year and must renew their accreditation with FIFA.
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Some matches of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico 2011 were played
on football turf
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The certification process
Benchmark for all test criteria:
natural turf in best condition
Product
Production of all the components
of the artificial turf system
The product is extensively tested for
Laboratory test
resilience and playing characteristics
in the laboratory
Pitch installation
The successfully tested product
is installed on site
The final installation undergoes a series of
Field test
tests to confirm the correct product is installed and it meets technical requirements
Only after the successful field test
does the installation obtain its
FIFA RECOMMENDED status
Maintenance
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Regular maintenance is required to ensure
continued performance of the field
For more information please refer to
the handbook of requirements for
football turf on www.FIFA.com/footballturf
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Fits the needs
FIFA 1 Star and FIFA 2 Star
quality standards
The FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf today consists of two different quality
standards: FIFA 1 STAR and FIFA 2 STAR. The development of the FIFA 2 STAR
standard coincided with the integration of the FIFA Quality Concept into the
Laws of the Game and reflected the need for as exact a replication of natural
turf in good condition as possible. In contrast, the FIFA 1 STAR standard is
aimed at amateur and community level football that requires criteria of durability
more than exact reproduction of top-level performance. Any development of the
testing methods within the FIFA Quality Concept follows this logic.
The characteristics below indicate the typical advantages of the different
types of systems
FIFA 1 STAR
Focus on safety and longevity
More demanding wear test in the laboratory
More hours of use – every day
While maintenance is essential, it is less for
such systems
FIFA 2 STAR
Focus on less intense use and top-level performance
Stricter performance criteria to replicate good natural turf
Less maintenance than natural turf
Annual re-testing to ensure high quality over time
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Football turf field at Queenstown Secondary School, Singapore
FC Zwolle Stadium, Netherlands
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Testing FIFA RECOMMENDED artificial turf
Laboratory and field test
In order to obtain certification, two tests must have been successfully passed:
a laboratory test of the product prior to installation and a field test on the
final pitch.
Laboratory test:
In this first step, samples of the products are tested by FIFA-accredited test
institutes for resilience, wear and performance criteria in laboratory conditions.
In addition, the material composition, the products‘ “DNA” so to speak, is
analysed to provide the basis for the product identification test.
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Field test:
The field test is the assessment carried out by FIFA-accredited test institutes
to determine whether a field meets the performance and quality criteria set
out in the Quality Concept. The emphasis is on player/surface and ball/surface
interaction as well as the product identification test. The latter ensures that
the materials that have been installed match those that were tested in the
laboratory earlier. In order to be eligible for field testing, the product used
on the installation must have been successfully tested in the laboratory first.
For more information please refer
to the handbook of test methods
on www.FIFA.com/footballturf
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Maintenance
Maintenance of football turf
fields is fundamental
It has long been claimed that artificial surfaces are maintenance-free. This is
not only a myth, but a dangerous concept to embrace. The need to maintain
a football turf field is fundamental for reasons of aesthetics, safety, playing
performance and longevity.
Safety – A neglected field can be dangerous and present a number of
hazards to players. This in turn can lead to injuries and further detract from
the attraction of the facility.
Playing performance – A lack of maintenance will lead to discomfort
and frustration for players because of:
Faster movement of the ball
Uneven roll of the ball
Variable bounce of the ball
Running on a hard surface
Poor grip on of the surface
Longevity – The lifetime of the football turf field will be significantly reduced by a lack of maintenance, undermining the investment in it.
Aesthetics – A good field is attractive to play any sport on and will encourage participants to use it in the right way. A dirty field is not attractive to play
on, will deter participants from using the facility in the long term and can
attract vandalism.
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For more information please refer
to the maintenance guidelines on
www.FIFA.com/footballturf
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For the highest quality expertise
FIFA Preferred Producer
The FIFA Preferred Producer initiative was introduced in 2009 in response
to demand for higher quality not only in the products but in the installation process of football turf as well. The overall objective is to protect the
interests of consumers when purchasing pitches and to ensure that football
turf pitches meet high requirements with regard to quality, performance
and safety. FIFA Preferred Producers extend their services further than the
traditional supplier/installer relationship by continually improving the quality of their product and client servicing. Through regular reporting to FIFA
and more demanding requirements, Preferred Producers prove to FIFA that
they are committed to quality.
FIFA Preferred Producers take full responsibility for the entire
installation process
FIFA Preferred Producers have in-house capacities for civil engineering
and maintenance
For all football fields installed by FIFA Preferred Producers full information
for the end-user and regular reporting to FIFA is required
This translates into benefits for the end user, who only deals with one party
during the entire installation and has the evidence that the FIFA Preferred
Producer has a proven track record in installing fields of high quality.
Comprehensive
project
management
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Installation
of good
sub-base
Procurement
of high-quality
football turf
Expert
installation
of the system
Correct
maintenance
training
Preferred Producer for Football Turf
More information can be found at
www.FIFA.com/fpp
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Protecting the end user
For the Game.
Benefits for the end user
As world football’s governing body, it is FIFA’s mission to develop the game.
This means making sure that as many players as possible can practise their
sport in the best possible conditions. The newest generation of football turf
offers a valuable contribution in this direction since it has proven benefits
for users in regards to durability, consistency and resistance. This is why FIFA
deems it the best alternative to natural turf.
The FIFA RECOMMENDED label therefore offers clubs and players alike the
guarantee that the system has been tested and satisfies the requirements
set out in the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf. A certificate from FIFA
therefore ensures that:
The system, if maintained correctly, must perform to the standard it has
obtained certification for: four years for 1 STAR and one year
for 2 STAR
The installed system is exactly as ordered by the client: the product identification test highlights that all materials used are as declared
The field is listed on the FIFA website www.FIFA.com/footballturf so that
the FIFA RECOMMENDED status can be proven at any time
Competitive national and international matches can be played on certified fields (provided all characteristics such as dimensions are in line with
the Laws of the Game as well as national regulations)
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International recognition
For the World.
Officially recognised
In creating the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf, world football’s
governing body has set the prerequisites for the use of artificial turf in
professional sport. The inclusion of modern artificial turf in the Laws of the
Game in 2004 has meant that international games can now be played on
FIFA-certified pitches.
Since then, high-quality FIFA RECOMMENDED pitches have become the inter­
national standard for both amateur and professional football. The increasing use
has allowed young players to gain solid experience with artificial pitches, especially
during international youth tournaments: as far back as 2005, at the FIFA U-17
World Cup in Peru, all 32 matches were played on FIFA-certified football turf
pitches. This acceptance has drawn up through various other tournaments,
up until the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2011 in Mexico.
FIFA RECOMMENDED fields worldwide:
UEFA
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394
273
CAF
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CONMEBOL
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6
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AFC
71
20
OFC
6
3
January 2012
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Football Federation Australia is a member
of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
All fields in Australia are therefore listed
under AFC.
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Preferred Producer for Football Turf
Contact:
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
FIFA-Strasse 20
P.O. Box
8044 Zurich
E-Mail: [email protected]
Switzerland
Web: www.FIFA.com/footballturf