REVEALED: World Cup organizers have flown hundreds of tons of US grass seed and fake winter conditions to perfect pitches in Qatar… with a 40-pitch-sized farm north of Doha growing reserve grass just in case!
For the most lavish and controversial World Cup of our time, no expense has been spared in fulfilling the most fundamental requirement for a major football tournament – the pitches.
With a global audience fixated on Qatar from November 20, the last thing organizers need is superstars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, unable to entertain a global audience due to dubious surfaces.
Temperatures in the Gulf average more than 100 degrees between May and September, making it difficult for ordinary turf to grow, to say the least.
Hundreds of tons of grass seed were imported from the US in air-conditioned planes
As a result, millions of seeds have been imported, dozens of staff have been hired and a large expanse of spare pitches installed in case one of the main stadiums needs to be moved at short notice.
The fine detail of the operation is matched only by the staggering numbers.
Hundreds of tons of grass seed were imported from the United States in air-conditioned planes to cover the needs of eight stadium pitches – seven of them new – and 136 training pitches.
Each new site required 50,000 liters of desalinated seawater per day in summer
“Due to the climate and conditions in Qatar, the playing surface would not hold together without the right grass seed,” said David Graham of Aspire Turf, the company responsible.
Each new site required 50,000 liters of desalinated seawater per day during the summer — more than enough to choke environmentalists on the excess.
Groundsmen triggered wintry conditions in September by blowing chilled air onto the pitches, making them resilient enough to host the November and December tournament.
“When you have attrition, you want the grass to keep growing to recover,” said Haitham Al Shareef, a veteran member of the Qatar team.
Peak temperatures are currently falling which is good for the players but not so much for the groundsmen who are aware that ryegrass can stall pitch regeneration.
Underground moisture reduction systems were used to eliminate the risk of grass fungus
Chemical cocktails and an underground humidity reduction system were used to eradicate the risk of grass fungus, which would turn matches into a sham.
However, with the entire World Cup in Qatar costing an estimated £7bn – the most expensive in history – it’s no surprise organizers have a backup plan should one of the pitches become unplayable.
On a farm in the north of the capital Doha, reserve grass grows on a huge field with 40 full pitches.
If an SOS comes out of the Khalifa International stadium, where England play their opening game against Iran on November 21 – or for any of the other reasons – Qatar promise they can lay a new surface in no time.
“It can be harvested, transported and ready to play in eight hours,” said a confident project manager, Mohamed Al Atwaan.
Qatar have been preparing for this for 15 years, well before they were officially confirmed as hosts. The seeding for the current pitches started three months ago.
The first test will take place on November 20 when Qatar meets Ecuador in the opening match.
Pitches aside, this World Cup will be the first where players and fans will be able to benefit from air conditioning. Even as winter approaches, temperatures can reach 30 degrees Celsius (86F) at some parts of the day.
Cooled air is supplied through grilles on the stands and vents on the pitch. The air is sucked back, recooled, filtered and pushed out again.
It is the brainchild of engineer Dr. Saud Ghani, the Dr. called cool. He leaned it against an air conditioner in a car. “Only on a larger scale,” he joked.