Here are the answers to the most common questions I receive regarding FIFA certification of Footballs.

1. How much will it cost? Maybe less than you thought, depending on the certification level you want to achieve. The lowest cost option is FIFA’s International Match Standard (IMS) with its administrative fee of 500CHF plus a lab testing fee that is competitively priced.

There are many tests available to assess the shock attenuation of your playing surface. The most common currently used in the USA by far is the measurement of GMax utilizing an ASTM F355 missile. This device has not changed much since it was first used back in 1971. It is probably one of the main and often times the only methods of regulating fields currently used. =

An artificial pitch needs to be regularly maintained to keep it in a safe and acceptable condition for use. Regular brushing and cleaning ensure the playing surface offers the best performance and safety for users. The current Covid-19 restrictions have meant the vast majority of facilities have been closed to users for many months. This could have implications when users are allowed…

There is much discussion in artificial turf circles about recycling end-of-life fields. In a nutshell, it is both difficult and expensive because of a significant lack of processing plants available in the right locations - ones that can easily cope with the potential demand. Funding is not targeting recycling as a priority. Many have begun to address these issues in Europe where there are…

One of the more complex tests performed on a sports surface is the measurement of shock absorption and deformation. The measurements made with an Advanced Artificial Athlete (AAA) attempt to characterise the responses between athlete/surface interaction during a run, stop or cut. The complex biomechanics involved whenever a foot, ankle, knee, and hip engage at…

As leading sports surfaces consultants, we get a lot of questions about turf. We've compiled a list of the most common questions and asked Eric O'Donnell, our Managing Director, to share his answers. Hybrid Turf has changed a great deal in the last 10 years. We have seen the development of many textile based tufted systems now widely available and the introduction to the market of…

Making sure the base to your pitch or track is fit for purpose is a very straight forward civil engineering exercise. In the UK research carried out for over 60 years in the highways sector provides transferable design principals to sports facilities construction which means that there are no excuses not to follow proper design principals. Understanding basic design…

Anyone who knows me will know that I am always banging on about wearable technology becoming the next big thing to come into our world of testing artificial and natural turf sports fields. Let’s face it, Sports Labs has tested thousands of fields over the last 20 years using very similar equipment and technology. And as the processes used to build natural grass fields evolved, artificial turf…

Recently there has been some adverse press concerning microplastics and artificial pitches, so we thought you would be interested in learning more about this issue and how it might affect the industry. We were astounded to learn that a microplastic particle is not that micro. Particles that are smaller than 5mm fall under the definition of a microplastic – so not so little.

The refurbishment market is now mature and in some countries, this accounts for up to 50% of overall sales. An interesting and worrying observation we see whenever we are involved in the refurbishment of old pitches is the legacy of poor base construction found in facilities that are 10 to 15 years old. More often than not, when the base of an old pitch is exposed we find serious issues with it.

Hybrid systems were spawned from early iterations of soil-strengthened systems where soils were ameliorated with fibers or plastic mesh. These modifications enhanced or reinforced the soil structure to improve the root anchoring and retention, thus allowing some extended play to be sustained on natural grass surfaces that were suitably treated. The modern hybrid turf system is…

Player welfare is a core theme which World Rugby have at the front and centre of its thinking. A few weeks back I was privileged to attend a workshop and assessment of a group of organisations that manufacture systems or technologies used to assess a player who suffered a concussion from a head impact on the field. All these tools are to be used to augment HIA assessment at pitch side.

Recently the global governing bodies we interact with the most issued a guidance document aimed at providing owners, municipalities, manufacturers, etc., with a one-stop shop standard to cater for multi-use artificial fields. The reasoning behind this move merits explanation. If you think about it, why would a global governing body that extensively researches requirements to suit its…

So, what does planarity mean? The word planarity is rooted in the Latin word plānus, which means flat, and the late Latin word plānāris, which means to be on level ground. When we speak about planarity, it is usually in reference to the flatness of a playing surface. The proper way to measure the planarity of a surface begins with a 3.0m straight edge beam comprised of box section…