There are a number of requirements for the quality of football coverage for competitions, approved by the International Football Association. First of all, the field should be flat, with synthetic or natural grass lawn – neither a tiny polyurethane nor a rolled smooth coating is suitable for competitions. In the case of a natural coating, irrigation, drainage systems are also needed (to remove excess moisture and prevent slipping), ventilation and built-in heating (especially important for outdoor stadiums in winter at extremely low temperatures).
Dimensions of the football field and auxiliary area according to FIFA standards
In accordance with international standards, the size of the playing field should be 105 by 68 meters (the unified size for international, national and regional competitions, as well as for World Cup matches and confederations championships). The rules also strictly regulate the size of the auxiliary zone behind the football goal and along the field (used for warming up players and moving staff). The margin to the auxiliary zone at the edges of the field should be at least 8.5 meters, along the goal line – at least 10. Thus, the final size of a standardized soccer field is at least 125 by 85 meters
The nuances of caring for natural and artificial turf
Natural lawn. Even at the planning stage of a football field with a natural lawn, it is necessary to invite a specialist who will assess the climatic features and soil of the site and select the optimal variety of grass and turf for the fastest possible rooting of the lawn. In the future, when caring for the field, you will need an aerator for oxygen saturation and loosening of the soil, a seeder for quick sowing of fresh grass, as well as a specialized cultivator for removing withered grass and pruning rhizomes.
Artificial turf. When laying artificial turf, it is important to arrange proper drainage, since the accumulation of moisture leads to increased slipperiness, which can lead to injury to athletes. To care for the coating, you will need a sandblaster – at least once a week, you need to process and, if necessary, fill the lawn for uniform distribution of the material and raising the pile. It is also periodically necessary to sweep and comb artificial grass to get rid of debris and weeds. The optimal set of equipment for the care of artificial turf will be: a sandblower, a vacuum cleaner for foliage and a verticutter.