GrassMaster gets set to take centerstage at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™

As Russia prepares to host the 21st FIFA World Cup from June 14 to July 15, GrassMaster by Tarkett Sports will also be present at this elite-level tournament. The pioneers of hybrid grass were already part of the game in the last two FIFA World Cups: Brazil in 2014 and South Africa in 2010. Launching a new tradition.

Sixteen 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ games in total will be played on GrassMaster. The stadiums Volgograd Arena, Kazan Arena and Nizhny Novgorod Stadium all have a brand new GrassMaster pitch installed.

Kazan Arena will host six games between June 16 and July 7. France vs Australia will be the first fixture of the World Cup to be played on GrassMaster. Four games during the group’s stage will be played in Kazan, as well a Round of 16 game and a quarter final.

At the Volgograd Arena, four games will be played, starting with Tunisia vs England on June 18. Also on that date, the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium opens its doors with the first game of Group F, with Sweden vs Korea Republic. This stadium will host four group stage matches, a Round of 16 game and a quarter final.

With six games being played over a three week period in the Kazan Arena, four matches in Volgograd Stadium in ten days and six duels in two and a half weeks in Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, GrassMaster proves once again to be the trusted partner for top-level tournaments.

Yves de Cocker, Director at GrassMaster, said:

Thanks to the unique technology of GrassMaster, a higher player safety and faster surface recovery is provided, so neither players, fans nor organisation suffer from loss of quality on the pitch.

 

We stand for a perfect pitch anywhere and anytime, and with a lifespan of up to fifteen years, these GrassMaster pitches will leave a legacy for the Russian teams, communities and for the venues.

Training pitches

Furthermore, the CSKA training pitch in Moscow will be used by the German football team and the training pitch of FC Rubin Kazan is going to be used by Japan for training sessions throughout their stay at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. On both pitches, the premium hybrid turf system GrassMaster is applied.

Installation and maintenance

In terms of the installation process and ongoing maintenance, de Cocker said:

Our Russian partner, InSport Pro Co, installed GrassMaster in the Kazan Arena and the CSKA stadium in Moscow. Additionally they are responsible for the maintenance of the pitches.

Andrey Kanunnikov, Managing Director of InSport Pro Co, advised:

Both the German and Japanese teams recently visited their training grounds and were satisfied with the pitches we’ve prepared for them.

 

Our installation partner for the Volgograd and Nizny Novgorod stadiums is Golftechnology. Further, we could count on Charles Henderson of PSD/Labosport Group as pitch consultant.

Pioneers of hybrid grass since 1989

GrassMaster Solutions’ expertise and experience of nearly 30 years has been used on more than 700 pitches worldwide.

The GrassMaster system, with a proven lifespan of 15 years and more, is a 100 % natural grass pitch reinforced by 20 million high performance fibres. These polypropylene fibres are injected by computer-controlled machines, 18cm deep and 2cm above the surface, in a grid of +/- 2 x 2cm. The natural grass roots entwine with the fibres and grow deeper and wider, building a stronger and healthier rootzone. The PP fibres above the surface ensure an always even and stable surface.

GrassMaster Solutions

GrassMaster Solutions is the hybrid grass division of Tarkett Sports which is part of the Tarkett Group, a worldwide leader of innovative and sustainable flooring and sports surface solutions. Tarkett has one of the broadest global reaches of any flooring company in the world.

GrassMaster Solutions is a longstanding and most valued VIP/Sponsor of Sports Venue Business (SVB). For further information on their hybrid grass technology, click on their banner advert below:

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