Stroytransgaz started construction of football pitch at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium

JSC Stroytransgaz has started construction of a football pitch at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium. The area of the game zone will be 7,140 m². The first official trial matches at the Stadium will take place in spring of 2018, and in summer it will host 6 matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup RussiaTM including quarter finals.

“The football pitch is the heart of a stadium. Therefore, the quality of the pitch and its turf shall meet all FIFA requirements to the top level matches. Due to particular climate conditions of Nizhny Novgorod region it is essential to select the right combination of turfgrass species and to perform a complete set of turf management tasks to prepare the pitch for the games. We will be advised by the leading international experts on this issue,” noted Sergey Pichushkin, Stadium Construction Project Manager.  

Currently, the pitch subgrade is being prepared: soil is being filled to raise the surface to the design level. The pitch will be provided with drainage, sprinkler and heating systems. To maintain the above zero temperature in the root zone, over 30km of pipes will be laid under the pitch subgrade. This will safeguard the pitch from frost and allow hosting matches even at low air temperatures. Besides, the pitch will be equipped with a subsoil aeration system, which will remove extra moisture and aerate the soil.  To compact the football pitch subgrade and to increase its stability, a special geo-synthetic textile will be installed.

According to FIFA requirements, the pitch turf will be a natural grass one. The materials that make up layers of the football pitch subgrade (crushed stone, peat, fertilizers etc.) will be additionally tested at a specialized laboratory in Scotland. The pitch root system will be sown with polymer fibres, this will considerably add to the turfgrass durability and athletes’ safety. 

The pitch is scheduled to be totally complete by autumn 2017.