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SIS Pitches, the company behind six of the 12 World Football Cup pitches, was commissioned to design, construct and install the new surfaces at the football venues. Which were set to host international football teams including England, Portugal and Belgium during the tournament.
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Luzhniki Stadium’s pitch was laid by SIS Pitches using the revolutionary SIS Grass Hybrid and was completed for handover earlier in the year.
Cumbria-based SIS Pitches flew the flag for England at the final between Croatia and France at the 81,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium after Gareth Southgate’s men were knocked out in the semi-final.
SIS Pitches was selected to design, construct and install pitches at 6 of the 12 stadiums used during the World Football Cup finals – working on more pitches than any other company. This includes the Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted both the opening game and the final.
George Mullan, CEO of SIS Pitches, said: “It was an absolute honour to have been chosen to not only design, construct and install the pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium but at six of the 12 World Football Cup venues – working on more pitches than any other company.”
“It’s the first time a World Football Cup Final has been played on anything but all-natural grass. SIS Grass Hybrid was only launched in 2015 and already it has been installed at a number of world-class stadiums and now the 2018 World Football Cup Final will be played on it. We have come so far to get this system to the pinnacle of world sport. The quality of SIS Grass Hybrid will ensure that the pitches are resilient in all conditions, and I am sure the 2018 World Football Cup finals will be one that we will always remember.”
Six of the 12 stadiums to host games at the World Cup had a hybrid pitch in place. In total, 30 of the 32 nations taking part in this year’s showpiece took to SIS Grass Hybrid during the group stages. Only Sweden and Egypt would have to progress to the knockout stages to have a chance of playing on the surface in the tournament.
SIS Grass Hybrid is an advanced reinforced turf system featuring patented fibre injections, which offers increased pitch stability and delivers considerably more playing hours than natural grass surfaces.
The sophisticated reinforced natural turf system combines 95% natural grass with 5% synthetic fibres, installed with patented injection technology and laser guidance for accuracy, offering longer playing hours and faster recovery time after each game.
SIS Grass machines, with patented injection technology and laser guidance for accuracy, install uniquely engineered synthetic yarn into the natural grass at 2cm x 2cm spacings and 20cm depth (of which 2cm is above the ground).
The brand new SIS Grass Hybrid surface made the Luzhniki Stadium the most technologically advanced pitch in World Football Cup final history. The laser-guided installation took just seven days to complete and boasts 95% natural turf alongside the 5% specially designed PE yarn. The 2018 World Football Cup was the first to have a SIS Grass Hybrid natural turf reinforced pitch and SIS Air technology.
SIS Air is a revolutionary system that proactively manages soil moisture and removes excess water from the soil via a network of under pitch pipes that can blow hot or cold air depending on the climate requirements.
The SIS Air system helps optimise the root zone’s growing conditions and promotes healthier turf.
SIS Pitches installed its hybrid surfaces using patented fibre injection technology with undersoil aeration system in six of the 12 tournament venues. The Luzhniki pitch uses SIS Grass Hybrid, – 95% natural grass reinforced with 5% synthetic fibres – and SIS Air, a unique aeration system capable of removing a deluge of rain from the surface in just five seconds, whilst optimising root moisture via a network of undersoil pipes.
Ilyas Kobal, SIS Eastern European Managing Director explained, “SIS Air, through our specialised piping infrastructure, ensures the root zone is in excellent condition, in particular in challenging climates. We are confident that the pitches constructed by SIS Pitches for the World Football Cup will exceed the expectations of both the players and officials and SIS Grass Hybrid could be vitally important in the 2022 World Football Cup in Qatar.”
3 of the 6 stadiums with SIS Grass Hybrid were also fitted with SIS Air, the innovative system designed specifically to proactively manage the moisture content of soil and then remove excess water from the soil profile.
The brand new SIS Grass Hybrid surface made the Luzhniki Stadium the most technologically advanced pitch in World Football Cup final history.
SIS Pitches has installed a new SIS Grass Hybrid pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium, the venue of the opening ceremony and the World Football Cup Final.
The use of the company’s sophisticated reinforced natural turf system, called SIS Grass Hybrid, as well as its revolutionary aeration technology, SIS Air, made the Luzhniki Stadium the most technologically advanced pitch in World Football Cup history. The use of SIS Air also meant that the pitch could be drained off in a matter of seconds.
The Luzhniki Stadium is a challenging environment in which to grow turf grass. Some of the contributing factors are:
Working in conjunction with a good maintenance program, every type of modern technology was made available to the pitch superintendent to assist the pitch to perform to international standards.
Ilyas Kobal, SIS Pitches Eastern Europe Managing Director, commented: “The Luzhniki Stadium is a challenging environment in which to grow turf grass. The climate at Luzhniki is challenging for the promotion and growing of turf grass. The SIS Air and SIS Grass systems are two modern technologies which can assist the pitch superintendent to maintain the pitch in the best possible condition throughout the year and during the tournament. However, it must be remembered that the correct pitch maintenance program needs to be in place and undertaken. Our contract with Luzhniki includes 2 years maintenance which covers the tournament period.”
Throughout the tournament, a team of 12 people from SIS Pitches maintained the surface of the Luzhniki Stadium – where the opening ceremony and opening game took place, and where the World Football Cup Final was held.
Over the four weeks of the tournament, the main pitch at Luzhniki hosted the equivalent of nearly the full number of matches that would be played on a Premiership pitch during a whole football season.
The company also maintained the three training pitches at the stadium, which were used by all the national teams playing at the venue.
SIS Pitches also installed three training pitches at Luzhniki, four training pitches at Otkritie Arena, which was being used as a base by the Swiss national team.
George Mullan, CEO of SIS Pitches said: “Luzhniki will have the heaviest programme of games and training sessions as well as hosting the opening ceremony and the rehearsals for the opening ceremony. We have already had six rehearsals for the opening ceremony, 15 training sessions and seven matches on the pitch; this is as well as the activity on the training pitches.
“Maintaining a pitch under these circumstances can be challenging as the opening ceremony is taking place on the pitch just half an hour before the first game kicks off. Some 80,000 football fans will be in the stadium and millions of people will be watching from around the world. However, our team will be pitch-side to make sure that the surface is maintained to the highest standards.
“We will have 12 people at the stadium throughout the tournament, making sure that the surface is perfect before every game. They will then repair the pitch if any damage has been caused during the game. I will be there personally at some of the games – but I won’t be watching the football; I will be concentrating on the surface!”
George Mullan, CEO of SIS Pitches, said: “With around one billion people expected to watch the final, there’s clearly pressure to get the pitch in top condition, despite it being used for over 60 hours – the equivalent of a full Premier League season – in the past five weeks. That would have been impossible on a traditional all-grass pitch.
“Everyone has been raving about the quality of football at this tournament and our pitches have certainly given Modric, Lukaku, Mbappe and Kane a brilliant platform to perform on. The feedback we’ve had from everyone involved has been hugely positive. It’s the first worldwide showcase for these technologies to be combined at a World Football Cup and it’s performed perfectly.”
SIS Pitches was maintaining Luzhniki Stadium throughout the World Football Cup but the other five pitches – Otkritie Arena, Rostov Arena, Kaliningrad Stadium, Samara Arena and Saransk Arena, had already been formally handed over to stadium management, who would handle their maintenance. Each pitch was independently tested to meet international quality standards before SIS Pitches formally handed them over.
SIS Pitches previously designed and constructed a natural pitch at the Otkrytiye Arena in 2014, before completing work on four training pitches in September 2016.
From April 2017, SIS Grass Hybrid was installed at the stadium, as several other stadiums have had a hybrid pitch transformation.
The Otkrytiye Arena, one of twelve stadiums that hosted matches at the tournament, became the fourth high-profile stadium in the country to receive a SIS Grass Hybrid makeover.
Ilyas Kobal, SIS Pitches Eastern Europe Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to be installing the ever popular SIS Grass Hybrid. We have developed a great working relationship with the club, as we do with all of our clients, especially after we previously installed the natural pitch. SIS Grass Hybrid will be present at four world tournament stadiums and we are all excited ahead of the tournament next year.”
SIS Pitches constructed the main pitch at Spartak, and so the client requested the training facilities to undergo construction as well.
The facilities consist of two seeded-based natural pitches, 1 roll grass-based natural pitch and 1 synthetic pitch.
Due to the tough weather conditions, with temperatures as low as -30 degrees and the hi-usage of the training grounds, the infrastructure of the pitches included a heating system to make sure the pitches are always in good condition. The installation of the infrastructure was executed to an incredibly hi-standard to best serve the sustainability of the pitches.
The new $330 million Rostov Arena – which hosted five World Football Cup encounters – was officially ready for action.
SIS Pitches was commissioned to design, construct and install the surface at Rostov, using sophisticated reinforced natural turf system, SIS Grass Hybrid. Beneath the Rostov stadium is SIS Air technology – the aeration system, which manages soil moisture and promotes healthier turf by providing optimum conditions for root growth.
The global pitch-specialists had also agreed deals to complete similar work at the Rostov Arena and the Baltic Arena, Kaliningrad, sealing a quartet of SIS Grass Hybrid projects.
Following complex inspections, the pitch was certified as compliant with FIFA’s quality standards by independent agency the Sports Turf Research Institute, and SIS Pitches formally transferred the pitch over to stadium management, who would handle all of its maintenance.
SIS Pitches’ Eastern European Managing Director Ilyas Kobal, said: “With less than six weeks to go, a vital part of World Football Cup preparations is ensuring that, like the players, the pitches are truly world-class.”
“Our crew has been working hard to get the ground into the very best condition. Rostov now has the most technologically-advanced playing surface in the world. Our SIS Grass Hybrid system has delivered a pitch that is durable and will perform well. It’s over to the stadium team now to maintain that standard and quality until the final whistle.”
“As football fans around the world count down to the start of the tournament, the pitch handover is another step closer to the action, and we can’t wait for the matches to begin.”
The Rostov pitch installation was completed in eight days, using a staggering 48,000 kilometres of yarn – which is the equivalent of the distance around the world.
Smirnov Denis Anatolievich, Director of Rostov Stadium, added: “SIS Pitches are highly qualified professionals who provide high-quality services. They successfully carried out the design and construction of our pitch at Rostov Stadium, using the very latest technology, installing an aeration and drainage system and stitching synthetic fibres to strengthen our turf. Earlier this month we hosted our first football match, and the independent and official expert of FIFA conducted testing, which proved the high quality of the pitch.”
The 45,000-seater Rostov stadium hosted five World Football Cup Group matches, with Brazil facing Switzerland (17 June), Uruguay playing Saudi Arabia (20 June), South Korea taking on Mexico (23 June) and Iceland up against Croatia (26 June). The winner of Group G and runner up for Group H also went head-to-head at Rostov.
Located in Rostov-on-Don, the stadium is one of 12 venues that hosted World Football Cup fixtures. Six of these commissioned SIS Pitches expertise and feature SIS Grass Hybrid surfaces, including the Luzhniki stadium, where the highly-anticipated World Football Cup Final was played before a crowd of 80,000 and a worldwide TV audience of one billion. It was the first time a World Football Cup Final had ever been played on anything but all-natural grass.
SIS Pitches agreed a contract to complete work for a fourth stadium for the World Football Cup 2018.
The new Baltic Arena, Kaliningrad, one of twelve stadiums to be used during the finals, was set to be the next high-profile stadium to have a SIS Grass Hybrid transformation.
SIS Pitches designed, constructed and installed a new SIS Grass Hybrid pitch in July, and then provided full maintenance throughout the tournament.
The confirmation of a fourth stadium arrived after already securing deals to provide a new natural pitch, as well as a new SIS Grass Hybrid pitch for the new Rostov Arena and the Luzhniki Stadium, the venue of the World Football Cup final.
SIS Pitches had also completed work at the Krasnodar Stadium over the last 12 months, which was on the reserve stadium list for the World Football Cup.
Ilyas Kobal, SIS Pitches Eastern Europe Managing Director, commented: “It is fantastic to be given the green light on another stadium for the World Football Cup. We are going to be heavily involved at the 2018 World Football Cup and this will be another contract that will involve design, construction, installation and maintenance of the pitch.”
The Kaliningrad Stadium, also known as the Arena Baltika, has a capacity of 35,212 and is the home ground of football club FC Baltika Kaliningrad. During the World Football Cup, it was scheduled to host four first round group matches: Croatia v Nigeria (Saturday 16 June); Serbia v Switzerland (Friday 22 June); Iran v Portugal (Monday 25 June); and, England v Belgium (Thursday 28 June).
SIS Pitches was selected to design, construct and install six of the 12 stadium pitches, including the Kaliningrad Stadium, where the highly anticipated match of England v Belgium took place on Thursday 28 June.
D. Andreevs, director of Kaliningrad Stadium administration, added: “SIS Pitches carried out the design and construction work of the football pitch at our stadium, and in April this year we successfully hosted our first football match. Before the match, the independent agency STRI conducted testing, which showed the high quality of the pitch. SIS Pitches are a highly qualified team of professionals that provide high quality services.”
The award-winning advanced reinforced natural turf system, SIS Grass Hybrid, brainchild of global pitch specialists SIS Pitches, was installed at both the Mordovia Arena and Samara Arena later in the year; marking the fifth and sixth high-profile stadiums to receive a SIS Grass Hybrid makeover.
The Samara Arena, formally known as the Cosmos Arena, has a capacity of 44,198 seats and was scheduled to host four first round group matches. This includes one round of 16 matches, and one quarter-final during the World Football Cup tournament, including Costa Rica v Serbia (Sunday 17 June), Denmark v Australia (Thursday 21 June), Uruguay v Russia (Monday 25 June), and Senegal v Columbia (Thursday 28 June). After the international tournament, it became the new home ground of club Krylia Sovetov.
Saransk Stadium, also known as the Mordovia Arena, held 45,000 football fans for the World Football Cup and was set to hold tournament ties including: Peru v Denmark (Saturday 16 June); Colombia v Japan (Tuesday 19 June); Iran v Portugal (Monday 25 June); and, Panama v Tunisia (Thursday 28 June).
The Samara Arena, Kaliningrad Stadium and Saransk Stadium were just three of 12 venues that hosted the World Football Cup. Six of these commissioned SIS Pitches expertise and feature SIS Grass Hybrid surfaces, including Luzhniki stadium, where the highly-anticipated World Football Cup Final was played before a crowd of 80,000 and a worldwide TV audience of one billion. It was the first time a World Football Cup Final had ever been played on anything but all-natural grass.
Although neither high technology pitch would be laid for a few months, SIS Pitches managed both projects from concept through to construction, and had already finalised designs.
Work to install Mordovia Arena’s hybrid pitch, host of June’s group games, began in July and was completed for handover in just four weeks.
SIS Pitches then moved to install the hybrid football pitch at the Samara Arena in August, which was also anticipated to take four weeks. The stadium hosts the Premier League’s FC Krylia Sovetov Samara, replacing the Metallurg Stadium.
SIS Pitches had continued its presence on the world stage after already announcing its world record returf of Qatar’s Khalifa International Stadium.
Ilyas Kobal, SIS Pitches’ Eastern European Managing Director, commented: “The quality of SIS Grass Hybrid will make sure that the pitches at Mordovia Arena and Samara Arena are resilient in all conditions, and we’re confident that our pitches will exceed expectations for players, officials and fans alike.
“As we’re seeing both projects through from start to finish, the team has put in a lot of work already. We’re looking forward to seeing that realised and have teams play on the best playing surface in the world.”
This year’s international football event was the most technologically advanced in history, with SIS Pitches leading the way with the industry’s most advanced playing surfaces. Its sophisticated reinforced natural turf system, SIS Grass Hybrid, combines 95% natural grass with 5% synthetic turf; installed with patented injection technology and laser guidance for accuracy; offering longer playing hours and faster recovery time after each game.
“Six of the World Football Cup stadiums, including Samara Arena, Kaliningrad Stadium and Saransk Stadium, now feature the most innovative and advanced sporting turfs in the industry, which will provide strong, durable and well-performing pitches across the whole tournament. It’s over to the stadium teams now to maintain that standard and quality until the final whistle.
As Gareth Southgate’s men made final preparations for England’s World Football Cup campaign, the quality and standard of the pitches they would perform on proved vital.
Six of the 12 World Football Cup stadiums were home to high tech hybrid pitches that are the most advanced on the planet – and replicate the surface at the squad’s national training facility, St George’s Park.
Global pitch specialists, SIS Pitches, designed, constructed and installed the very latest turf technology at St George’s Park in 2015 and was also behind the pitches at six World Football Cup venues – the Samara Arena, Kaliningrad Stadium, Saransk Stadium, Rostov Stadium, Spartak Stadium and the iconic Luzhniki Stadium.
All feature the sophisticated SIS Grass hybrid surface, which combines 95% natural grass with 5% synthetic turf and is installed with patented injection technology and laser guidance for accuracy. The SIS Grass Hybrid system offers longer playing hours and faster recovery time after each game.
Beneath the Luzhniki, Rostov and Spartak stadiums ‘SIS Air’ technology was installed too. It is an aeration system developed by SIS Pitches, which manages soil moisture and promotes healthier turf by providing optimum conditions for root growth, in any climate.
In total, 30 of 32 World Football Cup nations played on the high tech surfaces in the tournament’s group stages alone. If England’s lionhearts topped their group, they would play two knockout games on SIS Grass Hybrid and SIS Air technology. If they claimed runner up position, all of their knockout games would be on SIS Pitches’ hybrid surfaces.
George Mullan, CEO & Founder of SIS Pitches, said: “The importance of having World Football Cup pitches that are durable and high quality cannot be underestimated. It’s crucial that the playing surfaces are truly world-class and our teams have been working hard to get the pitches in the best possible condition.
“Six of the World Football Cup stadiums now feature the most innovative and advanced sporting turfs in the industry, and it will definitely be an advantage for the England squad to have performed on the same surface at St George’s.”
SIS Pitches transferred maintenance for five of the stadiums to the care of the venue’s own management teams, following inspections by independent agency the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI), which confirmed the quality of the pitches met international quality standards.
Luzhniki Stadium, the home of the opening ceremony and highly-anticipated World Football Cup Final, continued to have its surface maintained by a six-strong team from SIS Pitches, led by former FA head groundsman Alan Ferguson. It was the first time a World Football Cup Final had ever been played on anything but all-natural grass.
George added: “We’re proud to be continuing to work at the Luzhniki Stadium to ensure its pitch is the same high standard and quality from the opening ceremony on 14 June, right up until the final whistle crowns the World Football Cup winners on 15 July.”
Ilyas Kobal, Managing Director of SIS Pitches for Eastern Europe, headed the pitch installation at the Luzhniki Stadium, the venue for the World Football Cup Final.
Ilyas, you’re installing one of the most technologically advanced pitches in the world, with revolutionary SIS Air machinery. Can you explain its benefits?
Without getting too technical, turf grass requires sunlight, warmth, air and water to grow.
Using the SIS Air system to apply pressure or vacuum to the underside of the root zone layer, the harmful gases can be removed and replaced with fresh air.
A common misunderstanding is that too much water is never a problem. If the moisture content in the root zone becomes too high due to heavy rainfall or over use of the irrigation system, many of the pores, the small spaces between the sand particles, may fill with water. Higher levels of carbon dioxide and water in the root zone increase the chance of disease. Using the SIS Air system to apply a vacuum to the underside of the root zone layer, the excess moisture content, ‘the free water’, can be removed and will be replaced naturally with fresh air.
After heavy rain storms which may occur immediately before a game, the SIS Air system can also be used to assist in the removal of excess surface water which may permit the game to be played rather than delayed or postponed.
In winter, when the underground heating system is operating, the SIS Air system can be run in Pressure for Heat mode to assist the even distribution of the heat generated by the underground heating system throughout the root zone.
Why is it important to have the SIS Air technology installed at the Luzhniki Stadium?
Working in conjunction with a good maintenance program, every type of modern technology should be made available to the pitch superintendent to assist the pitch to perform to international standards.
Does the climate mean that the SIS Air and SIS Grass Hybrid technology is vital to keeping the pitches in the best condition possible for the duration of the tournament?
The climate at Luzhniki is challenging for the promotion and growing of turf grass.
The SIS Air and SIS Grass systems are two modern technologies which can assist the pitch superintendent to maintain the pitch in the best possible condition throughout the year and during the tournament.
However, it must be remembered that the correct pitch maintenance program needs to be in place and undertaken. Our contract with Luzhniki includes 2 years maintenance which covers the tournament period.
Will the players notice the difference at the Luzhniki Stadium, with both the SIS Grass Hybrid and SIS Air technology, and how will it benefit them?
The pitch will be stronger, more durable and more predictable in its performance and in our experience these are characteristics player recognize and enjoy.
In major tournaments we have seen a number of the pitches perform poorly and struggling to recover for the next of the tournament. The introduction of SIS Air and SIS Grass Hybrid, together with a good maintenance program before and during the tournament will assist to prevent this happening.
How excited are you to have two stadiums with SIS Grass technology at the next World Football Cup?
SIS Grass Hybrid is a major leap forward in technology to strengthen the root zone and playing surface. The World Football Cup is the pinnacle of football and the stadiums should have the very best pitches to support the skills of the players and the spectacle of the event.
This will be the first SIS Grass Hybrid football pitch for a World Football Cup final, will this become custom practice for stadiums hosting major tournaments because of the benefits?
We at SIS Pitches believe that hybrid pitches will become the standard for all major football tournaments.
In difficult climate environments, whether extremely cold, hot or in more moderate climates, football pitches using technologies such as SIS Air will be stronger, more durable and more predictable in their performance.
England took on Belgium on June 28, at the Kaliningrad Stadium, on a SIS Grass Hybrid pitch.
Having installed over hundreds of hybrid surfaces worldwide, including English Premier League sides Chelsea, Newcastle United, Fulham and Bournemouth, as well as Scottish champions Celtic and the English FA’s St George’s Park complex, with Barcelona also upcoming.
George Mullan said: “We’re seeing huge interest from professional sports teams in the US and Japan, as well as the enormous American university sector and we’re installing eight SIS Grass Hybrid pitches in France this summer alone.”
SIS Pitches is a world leader in synthetic and natural sports surfacing and is one of the world’s largest sports pitch companies. The global pitch specialists lay grass and synthetic pitches and sports surfaces at world-class stadiums around the globe.
Outside of the World Football Cup, the company continues to deliver exceptional sports surfaces for schools, colleges, universities, sports clubs and local authorities in the UK and around the world.
SIS Pitches has many years experience in delivering natural turf pitches and synthetic turf pitches to some of the greatest names in sport as well as to schools, colleges, universities, sports clubs and local authorities.
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