Wembley hopes artificial turf will help solve pitch problems
Tue 27th Jul 2010 | Football Stadiums & Facilities
The Wembley pitch has been on the receiving end of a number of high profile complaints recently but bosses are now hoping to rectify the situation.
Officials are hoping to use the new Desso pitch for the 2018 World Cup if England's bid to host the tournament is successful.
After a season of problems with the turf at the national stadium which prompted fierce criticism from Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp and Chelsea captain John Terry, a new Desso pitch was laid in June after a concert by American rock band Green Day.
The Desso pitch, which uses artificial fibres intermingled with real grass, is a first for Wembley. And have already been successful at clubs like Tottenham, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.
The company also had pitches in place at two stadiums during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and will be used for the first time at Wembley during The FA Community Shield match between Chelsea and Manchester United next month.
It’s understood that the unique element of the reinforced natural grass system is 20 million artificial grass fibres injected 20 cm deep into the pitch. This allows the roots of the natural grass to entwine with the synthetic grass fibres and anchor the turf into a stable and even field.
This helps protect the natural grass fibres against tackles and sliding. Moreover, it ensures better drainage of the pitch despite the fact that three per-cent of the pitch is made up of synthetic grass fibres.
The Desso pitch will be in place throughout the 2010-11 football season which concludes with the Football League Championship play-off final at Wembley.
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