How Qatar maintains the World Cup pitch in the 'pan of fire'

Despite the harsh desert conditions, Qatar has committed to developing the turf for the stadiums for the 2022 World Cup.

Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar, one of the 8 official stadiums for the 2022 World Cup. Photo: Reuters

To win the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar has committed to developing the perfect pitch, helping the matches to take place with the best professional quality. This is a challenge for a "hot as hell" desert country, but it has taken many measures to fulfill this commitment.

In 2018, Qatar's Supreme Commission for Forwarding & Heritage (SC) established a botanical research station of unprecedented scale in the region - called SC Arboretum - located north of the capital Doha, where experts conduct research and test more than 12 different types of grass to find the most suitable for stadiums, according to Expat Sport .

"The nursery-grown grass is unique in that it was specially developed in Qatar to withstand the country's desert climate and the rigors of a competitive tournament like the FIFA World Cup. Another unique aspect. is an irrigation system that uses recycled water supplied from the nearby North Doha Wastewater Treatment Plant, helping to ensure it is a sustainable project in all respects,” said Yasser Al Mulla, Managing Director SC Landscape & Sports Court, said.

The project has an area of ​​​​up to 880,000 m2, equivalent to 166 football fields. In addition to grass on the field, trees and shrubs are also planted to improve the landscape at tournament venues. In total, 16,000 trees, 679,000 shrubs and 425,000 square meters of grass are carefully tended to ensure they are ready for the entire tournament and beyond.

"SC Plant Nursery promotes environmental sustainability by growing a variety of plants from different regions of Qatar. The project also introduces new plants to the ecological landscape of the country, thereby contributing to protect biodiversity," Workers' Welfare quoted SC HE Secretary General Hassan Al Thawad.

Qatar's Minister of Urban Affairs and Environment Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al-Rumaih is confident that the facility is a long-term investment that will continue to benefit the country after the tournament is over.

"The incubator reflects the strong relationship that exists between SC, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and the Ministry of Urban and Environment. It doesn't just provide cheap grass for World Cup stadiums." , but also to the local community after the tournament.The concept of sustainability is ingrained in this project, reminding us all of the social and environmental legacy the World Cup will leave for future generations. in Qatar," added Dr Saad Ahmed Al Mohannadi, President of Ashghal.

Currently, a team of professionals is maintaining 144 verdant fields, including 8 stadiums and 136 training grounds. Since September, they blow cold air through sprinklers directly on the field to ensure the grass thrives in the harsh fall conditions - when temperatures can reach 40°C - and doesn't suffer from shock when the weather gets worse. winter weather at the time of the World Cup.

According to Reuters , the 28-day span of the 2022 World Cup, which begins on November 20, is perhaps the most challenging time of the year for the turf, as Qatar's weather transitions from an extreme hot season to winter. mild.

Winter mimicry is just one of the tricks that experts have applied over the past 14 years to improve the quality of grass and increase the number of football fields in Qatar. Developing and maintaining a good green pitch is a really expensive process.

Qatar has been transporting 140 tons of grass seed every year from the US by specialized aircraft, while the pitches are irrigated with desalinated seawater which consumes a lot of energy.

Haitham Al Shareef, a Sudanese civil engineer who used to work at the 2022 World Cup stadium, said each stadium needs to irrigate 10,000 liters of desalinated water daily in winter and 50,000 liters in summer.

In addition, to deal with the risk of fungal outbreaks and grass diseases, Qatar regularly maintains the field with chemicals, lawn mowers and underground systems to absorb excess moisture, a consultant of UEFA said.

"The extreme weather and climate conditions, coupled with the high standard of performance we set for ourselves, made turf development extremely challenging, but we succeeded," said Al. Shareef emphasized.

The grass in the stadium, training ground as well as the nursery is always carefully taken care of to be ready for the World Cup. Video: Reuters

In case of emergency replacement, Qatar is also ready with 425,000 m2 of grass reserve in the nursery. According to Mohamed Al Atwaan, who worked as a project manager at 974 Stadium, grass can be harvested, transported to the stadium and replaced within eight hours.

Organizers have not disclosed how much Qatar's turf program has cost, but the country has spent billions of dollars on infrastructure over the past decade to prepare for the biggest football event on the planet. .