The FIFA Quality Programme team has released an updated version of the Natural Turf Guidelines, which were previously known as the Manager’s Guide to Natural Turf Pitches.
The guidelines have been restructured to include additional chapters on sward establishment and maintenance, and more details on grass selection
The guidelines also detail best practices for the construction and maintenance of natural grass pitches, and are aimed at anyone involved in the design, planning, construction and maintenance of natural grass pitches
In October 2021, the FIFA Quality Programme team published the new FIFA testing standard for natural playing surfaces, introducing the first global testing scheme. For the first time, standardised methods of testing and unified processes of how test results are reported by test institutes will allow competition organisers to analyse and compare test results of natural playing surfaces across different competitions. The new guidelines take into account that natural playing surfaces are dependent on their surrounding conditions such as climate or soil composition and are particularly designed to assist managers and administrators in their decision-making during the tendering, installation and maintenance of football pitches within their given realities. The document also showcases best practice in the core stages of pitch design and construction, including the selection of the most-suitable grass species, dependent on climate, and the maintenance resources required to sustain a high-quality playing surface.