Most technologically advanced pitch in South America to be installed at River Plate

Irish-owned global pitch specialists SIS Pitches has commenced the full reconstruction of the stadium pitch at Club Atlético River Plate in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The existing pitch will be replaced by a state-of-the-art SISGrass hybrid grass system and will be supported with undersoil SISAir aeration system which will create a stronger playing surface.

SIS Pitches began rebuilding the pitch in October and will continue until December, with the installation of SISGrass scheduled to happen in January.

The pitch will be fully completed in time for the 2021 Argentina football season. Club Atlético River Plate is one of the top clubs in the national league.

With a capacity of over 70,000, the stadium is home to the Argentina national football team. It hosted many games during the 1978 FIFA World Cup, including the final between Argentina and the Netherlands when the Argentina team was crowed World Cup winners.

Trusted by some of the biggest names in sport, including Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona, SISGrass will provide an elite playing surface that is over 95% natural grass, mixed with high performance polyethylene fibres, that help to provide more playing hours and faster pitch recovery.

As well as SISGrass, the pitch will contain SISAir which has been used successfully in many stadiums around the world including at Luzhniki stadium in Moscow for the World Cup final in 2018. This was the first time the World Cup final had ever been played on anything but all-natural grass.

SISAir includes heating and cooling systems, which will prevent seasonal deterioration of the playing field and meet the demanding climate conditions in Argentina.

SIS Pitches has worked with its registered distributor, Forbex, who are providing valuable local knowledge and enabling SIS Pitches to complete the project.

“We are delighted to have won this project against stiff competition but I believe it was our ability to deliver the whole pitch package with our innovative SISAir and SISGrass systems combined with our experience in pitch construction which was really important to our client. “All the works will be completed by our own staff. Personally, I am delighted to be going back to Argentina, a market I worked in many years ago”

George Mullan, CEO, SIS Pitches

SIS Pitches surfaces have been used at every major football tournament in 2018/19 including the Europa League Finals, UEFA Champions League, 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, 2018 World Cup, 2018 Club World Cup, AFC Asian Cup, European Rugby Champions Cup Final and the 2019 Rugby World Cup.