{"id":2816,"date":"2026-08-01T17:55:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T17:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/makes-a-field-hockey-pitch-fit-for-olympics\/"},"modified":"2026-09-19T02:29:37","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T02:29:37","slug":"makes-a-field-hockey-pitch-fit-for-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/makes-a-field-hockey-pitch-fit-for-olympics\/","title":{"rendered":"Qu'est-ce qui rend un terrain de hockey sur gazon adapt\u00e9 aux Jeux olympiques ?"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\nh2 { font-size: 1.6em; line-height: 1.3; margin: 40px 0 18px; }\nh3 { font-size: 1.2em; line-height: 1.35; margin: 26px 0 12px; }\np { line-height: 1.8; margin-bottom: 28px; }\nul { margin-bottom: 28px; padding-left: 20px; list-style-type: disc; }\nli { margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 1.6; }\ntable { display: table !important; width: 100% !important; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 28px; }\nth { text-align: left; padding: 12px 14px; background: #1a5c2e; color: #ffffff; font-weight: 600; }\ntd { padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e5e5; vertical-align: top; }\nfigcaption { text-align: center; font-style: italic; }\n<\/style>\n<p><!-- meta_title: Field Hockey Pitch: What Meets Olympic Standards --><br \/>\n<!-- meta_description: What separates an Olympic field hockey pitch from a club surface: FIH turf categories, water-based piles, ball roll tests, run-off and the dry turf shift. --><\/p>\n<p>Olympic hockey has not touched natural grass since 1976, when the Montreal Games became the first tournament played on a synthetic field hockey pitch. The switch was deliberate. Artificial grass keeps ball control predictable, cuts stoppages and turns hockey into a faster game to watch and to play. Every surface decision at the top of the sport has followed from that date.<\/p>\n<p>What makes a field hockey pitch fit for the Olympics is not one product but a stack of checkable things. The right surface class, tested ball behaviour, fixed dimensions, a disciplined base and a water plan all have to line up. We tuft artificial grass rolls on our own line, so we read specification sheets the way coaches read match footage. Five of those checks separate an Olympic pitch from a club field, and each one can be verified before a single roll is ordered.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"why-olympic-hockey-left-grass-behind\">Why Olympic Hockey Left Natural Grass Behind<\/h2>\n<p>The International Hockey Federation made artificial surfaces mandatory at major competitions in 1976. Montreal hosted the first Olympic tournament on them, and most players at the time had never trained on one. Within a generation, the synthetic pitch had become the default for every serious competition.<\/p>\n<p>The reasoning was practical rather than fashionable. Contemporary reporting noted that artificial grass permits easier ball control, which reduces infringements, whistles and stoppages, and makes the game easier to follow. A sport built on passing and deflection needs a surface that behaves the same in minute one and minute seventy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/fascinating-evolution-of-field-hockey-from-grass-to-featured.webp\" alt=\"Exciting field hockey match between two players on artificial turf in Utrecht, Netherlands.\" class=\"wp-image-2013\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/fascinating-evolution-of-field-hockey-from-grass-to-featured.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/fascinating-evolution-of-field-hockey-from-grass-to-featured-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/fascinating-evolution-of-field-hockey-from-grass-to-featured-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/fascinating-evolution-of-field-hockey-from-grass-to-featured-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/fascinating-evolution-of-field-hockey-from-grass-to-featured-18x10.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption>Dense short synthetic fibres on a hockey pitch surface<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>That demand for consistency is also why the elite game settled on one specific surface type. Natural grass and long-pile football turf both fail the speed test. The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Field_hockey_pitch\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">standard hockey pitch specification<\/a> now written into international rules assumes a short, dense carpet that elite play can trust.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"fih-ladder-from-club-field-to-global-elite\">The FIH Ladder From Club Field to Global Elite<\/h2>\n<p>Hockey is unusual among field sports in having a single governing standard that runs from school fields to Olympic finals. The FIH Quality Programme for Hockey Turf sorts certified fields into categories: Global Elite, Global, National and Multi-Sport. Global Elite fields carry FIH Tier One events, which is the technical home of Olympic and World Cup hockey. Global fields serve international and top national fixtures, National fields take regional and club competition, and Multi-Sport fields share hockey with other games.<\/p>\n<p>Artificial turf installations built for hockey also differ from football carpets in one structural way. Each category maps onto a defined surface type with fixed construction limits. The numbers below come from the FIH standards documentation, and they are the first thing to check against any quotation.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Surface class<\/th>\n<th>Pile height<\/th>\n<th>Infill<\/th>\n<th>Irrigation<\/th>\n<th>Typical level of play<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Non-filled &#8216;wet&#8217; turf<\/td>\n<td>10 to 18 mm<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<td>Required<\/td>\n<td>Global Elite and Global fields, Olympics and World Cup<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Sand-dressed turf<\/td>\n<td>13 to 20 mm<\/td>\n<td>Sand, over 25% free pile<\/td>\n<td>Optional<\/td>\n<td>Lower international, national, club and community<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Sand-filled turf<\/td>\n<td>18 to 30 mm<\/td>\n<td>Sand, under 15% free pile<\/td>\n<td>Not required<\/td>\n<td>Community and multi-sport use<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Textile surface<\/td>\n<td>12 to 20 mm<\/td>\n<td>Sand<\/td>\n<td>Not required<\/td>\n<td>Community hockey and Hockey 5s courts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Two separations matter when reading that table. First, product approval and field certification are different things. A carpet that passes laboratory testing can still fail on a badly built field. Second, every approved product is tested for over twenty different properties by independent institutes before it carries the FIH designation. The category names therefore carry real engineering weight rather than marketing weight.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"water-based-turf-and-the-speed-it-buys\">Water-Based Turf and the Speed It Buys<\/h2>\n<p>The Olympic surface is a non-filled carpet with a pile of only 10 to 18 mm, texturised monofilament yarns packed densely enough to stabilise the ball without sand. Before play, the surface is watered. The film of water cuts friction between ball, stick and turf, so the ball runs faster and truer than on any sand-based alternative. That is what separates elite artificial turf installations from the cheaper sand-based fields most schools still play on.<\/p>\n<p>Speed is only half of the benefit. The water layer also cushions falls and keeps bounce low, which is why players can slide on an Olympic pitch without the friction burns that sand surfaces cause. Anyone who has played both will describe the difference immediately: passes arrive flat, and the ball stops bobbling over the wear zones.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-grass-field-hockey-players-competing-turf.jpg\" alt=\"Fast-paced women field hockey match in action on a water-based high-speed blue synthetic turf sports pitch\" class=\"wp-image-2650\" width=\"1120\" height=\"680\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-grass-field-hockey-players-competing-turf.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-grass-field-hockey-players-competing-turf-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-grass-field-hockey-players-competing-turf-1024x622.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-grass-field-hockey-players-competing-turf-768x466.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-grass-field-hockey-players-competing-turf-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1120px) 100vw, 1120px\" \/><figcaption>Water spray wetting a green artificial hockey surface<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>This surface class is what the Global Elite and Global field categories are built on. If a supplier quotes a pile height above that band for an elite project, the quotation is describing a different sport. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/sports-artificial-grass\/\">sports artificial grass systems<\/a> are quoted to a stated pile, density and backing spec for exactly this reason. The number on the quote matches the number on the roll.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"ball-roll-rebound-and-tested-quality\">Ball Roll, Rebound and Tested Surface Quality<\/h2>\n<p>Fit for the Olympics is a test result, not a description. The FIH standards measure how a ball actually behaves on the installed field, and those measurements decide the certification category. Ball roll, the distance a ball travels after a standard roll, is the accepted indicator of surface speed. Ball rebound is measured because players want a low, predictable bounce rather than a lively one.<\/p>\n<p>Consistency counts as much as raw speed. Ball roll deviation tracks whether the surface profile sends a ball wandering off line, and field gradients above the recommended maxima are a known cause of failure on that test. An artificial turf installation that ignores base flatness therefore fails on measured performance, not on opinion. On a regulation field hockey pitch, every one of those tests is run on the completed field.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>FIH test property<\/th>\n<th>What it measures<\/th>\n<th>Why it decides Olympic fitness<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Ball roll<\/td>\n<td>Distance a ball rolls across the surface<\/td>\n<td>Long roll means a fast surface; elite fields need the top band<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ball rebound<\/td>\n<td>Height the ball bounces after impact<\/td>\n<td>Players prefer low bounce for control and flat passing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ball roll deviation<\/td>\n<td>How far a ball wanders from a straight line<\/td>\n<td>Predictability of every pass and shot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Shock absorption<\/td>\n<td>Force reduction compared with concrete<\/td>\n<td>Protection when players run and fall<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Vertical deformation<\/td>\n<td>Surface compression under dynamic load<\/td>\n<td>Comfort without an unstable, tiring floor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Water permeability<\/td>\n<td>Rate water drains through the carpet<\/td>\n<td>All-weather play without standing water<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Surface regularity<\/td>\n<td>Smoothness and evenness of the field<\/td>\n<td>Stops unexpected bounces on a rolling ball<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Independent accredited test institutes run these checks on the finished field, not just on samples in a laboratory. Facilities are also retested periodically, which lets an owner plan resurfacing from data instead of guesswork. That is the practical meaning of certification: the same ball behaviour in the seventieth minute as in the first.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"dimensions-run-off-and-markings\">Dimensions, Run-Off and Markings That Stay Fixed<\/h2>\n<p>A field hockey pitch is one of the few playing areas in world sport where the dimensions never move between levels. International, NCAA and high school hockey all use the same rectangle, so a player stepping up to an Olympic venue finds a familiar field.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Element<\/th>\n<th>Specification<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Field length<\/td>\n<td>91.40 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Field width<\/td>\n<td>55.00 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Field of play area<\/td>\n<td>5,027 m\u00b2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Shooting circle radius<\/td>\n<td>14.63 m from each goalpost<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>23-metre line<\/td>\n<td>22.90 m from each backline<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Goal opening<\/td>\n<td>3.66 m wide by 2.14 m high<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The field of play is only the start of the carpet order. Run-off margins around the playing area are part of the same surface, and ends carry a larger margin than sides because attacking play pushes toward the backline. Standard rolls come in 2, 4 and 5 metre widths at 25 metres long, and a 4 by 25 metre roll covers 100 m\u00b2. Wider rolls mean fewer seams, which is why most artificial turf installations across a full pitch use the widest roll the site can handle. Check the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/artificial-grass-products\/artificial-grass-roll\/\">roll construction and standard widths<\/a> before fixing a layout.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/field-hockey-turf-field.jpg\" alt=\"Field hockey artificial turf closeup showing sand-dressed surface\" class=\"wp-image-77\" width=\"1120\" height=\"680\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/field-hockey-turf-field.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/field-hockey-turf-field-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/field-hockey-turf-field-1024x622.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/field-hockey-turf-field-768x466.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1120px) 100vw, 1120px\" \/><figcaption>Line markings on a hockey turf playing area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Markings carry their own discipline at the top level. Global Elite fields allow no additional logos or lines except those an FIH event specifically requires. Blue playing surfaces, meanwhile, became the broadcast norm after London 2012 made ball and line visibility easier for television. Colour and line contrast are therefore part of the specification conversation, not a decoration added later.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"water-use-dry-turf-and-sustainability\">Water Use, Dry Turf and the Sustainability Shift<\/h2>\n<p>The same water film that makes elite hockey fast is also the category&#8217;s biggest operating cost. FIH guidance records a traditional irrigation volume of 3 litres per square metre per watering, applied before play, at half time and, in hot climates, during quarter breaks. Most Global Elite and Global fields run automated perimeter systems of rain-guns or pop-up sprinklers. The placement rules are strict: no sprinklers inside the field of play, and none within 2 metres of a goal or side-line.<\/p>\n<p>Water storage, quality and recycling are part of the design brief too. The standards push water harvesting so rainfall and irrigation runoff can be filtered and reused, and they warn that untreated mineral-heavy water will discolour the carpet over time. Serious artificial turf installations are designed around that water plan from day one.<\/p>\n<p>The direction of travel is unmistakable. The FIH has said clearly that it wants the sport to move toward dry hockey. Surface development is now focused on turf that plays at elite level with less water or none at all. Olympic planning runs four to six years ahead of the Games, and water efficiency has become a central brief line for new venues. For clubs and schools that shift matters in one sentence: a field hockey pitch bought this year should be judged on how it performs dry as well as wet.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta-box\" style=\"background-color:#1a2b3c;border-radius:6px;padding:30px;margin:35px 0;\">\n<h3 style=\"color:#ffffff;margin-top:0;\">Need Elite Ball Roll Without an Olympic Water Bill?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;\">Sub-standard turf costs clubs rentals and reputation. We tuft hockey rolls to your pile, density and colour spec, factory direct. Request the spec sheet before you commit.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/sports-artificial-grass\/field-hockey-turf\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;background-color:#1a5c2e;color:#ffffff;padding:12px 24px;border-radius:4px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;\">Compare Hockey Turf Specs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"three-mistakes-that-keep-pitches-off-elite-lists\">Three Mistakes That Keep Pitches Off Elite Lists<\/h2>\n<p>Most fields that miss the top categories fail for reasons that were visible at order stage. Three of them account for the majority of disappointments, and all three are avoidable on paper before a container is booked.<\/p>\n<h3>Buying a Surface Class the Level of Play Cannot Use<\/h3>\n<p>A sand-filled carpet is a sound community investment and a dead end for elite ambition, because its ball roll sits below what Global categories demand of a field hockey pitch. Reverse the error and the cost is just as real: a water-based system without the irrigation and maintenance budget behind it degrades fast. Match the surface class to the competitions the facility will actually host over the next decade, then buy one category, not two.<\/p>\n<h3>Spending on the Carpet and Starving the Base<\/h3>\n<p>The FIH standards are blunt about this: a first-class carpet laid on a poor foundation still produces a poor field. Gradients beyond the recommended limits cause ball roll deviation failures, and inadequate site investigation is the greatest source of construction problems. The geotechnical survey, the asphalt or engineered base and the shockpad deserve the same budget discipline as the turf itself. The field certification test measures the system, not the carpet alone.<\/p>\n<h3>Ordering the Carpet Before the Water Plan<\/h3>\n<p>On elite-spec artificial turf installations, irrigation is not an accessory. Sprinkler placement, water storage for a full day of play, half-time re-wetting and harvesting infrastructure all shape the civil works around the field. A carpet ordered without those decisions made forces compromises later, usually at the perimeter where the sprinklers and the run-off compete for the same space. Fix the water plan first, then size the carpet order around it.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"specifying-hockey-turf-for-clubs-and-schools\">Specifying Hockey Turf for Clubs and Schools<\/h2>\n<p>Most artificial turf installations for clubs and schools do not need a Global Elite field, and pretending otherwise wastes money. The sensible sequence is to name the competitions and weekly hours first, then let the surface class, pile height and backing follow from that brief. Sand-dressed systems serve most national and club fixtures, while textile and multi-sport surfaces cover shared school grounds.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/choose-right-artificial-grass-hockey-slot1.webp\" alt=\"Water-based hockey pitch under high-tempo training with drag-flick and sweep action\" class=\"wp-image-1434\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/choose-right-artificial-grass-hockey-slot1.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/choose-right-artificial-grass-hockey-slot1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/choose-right-artificial-grass-hockey-slot1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/choose-right-artificial-grass-hockey-slot1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/choose-right-artificial-grass-hockey-slot1-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption>Green artificial turf rolls stacked ready for dispatch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Specification flexibility is where a direct manufacturer earns its place. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/customization\/\">custom pile heights, densities and colours<\/a> are produced against a written brief, in roll widths of 2, 4 or 5 metres. Before committing, order <a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/free-samples\/\">free 20 by 20 cm samples<\/a> and compare pile and density in daylight on your own site. A field hockey pitch is a ten-year decision, and the samples settle more arguments than any brochure.<\/p>\n<p><!-- relyirgate:C1 --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-card\" style=\"background:#f9f9f9;border-left:4px solid #1a5c2e;border-radius:4px;padding:25px;margin-bottom:18px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color:#1a5c2e;margin-top:0;\">Do Olympic hockey pitches use real grass?<\/h3>\n<p>No. Since 1976 every Olympic hockey tournament has been played on water-based artificial turf, a non-filled carpet with a pile of 10 to 18 mm that is watered before play.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-card\" style=\"background:#f9f9f9;border-left:4px solid #1a5c2e;border-radius:4px;padding:25px;margin-bottom:18px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color:#1a5c2e;margin-top:0;\">Why is the pitch watered before a match?<\/h3>\n<p>The water film cuts friction between ball, stick and surface. The ball rolls faster and straighter, bounce stays low, and players slide without the friction burns a sand surface causes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-card\" style=\"background:#f9f9f9;border-left:4px solid #1a5c2e;border-radius:4px;padding:25px;margin-bottom:18px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color:#1a5c2e;margin-top:0;\">What pile height does Olympic hockey turf use?<\/h3>\n<p>FIH documentation lists non-filled wet hockey turf at 10 to 18 mm with no sand infill. Sand-dressed systems sit at 13 to 20 mm and serve lower levels of play.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-card\" style=\"background:#f9f9f9;border-left:4px solid #1a5c2e;border-radius:4px;padding:25px;margin-bottom:18px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color:#1a5c2e;margin-top:0;\">Can a sand-dressed pitch host international matches?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, at lower international, national and club level. FIH guidance places sand-dressed turfs in those tiers, while Global Elite fields used for Tier One events require a watered, non-filled surface.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-card\" style=\"background:#f9f9f9;border-left:4px solid #1a5c2e;border-radius:4px;padding:25px;margin-bottom:18px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color:#1a5c2e;margin-top:0;\">How much water does an elite hockey pitch need?<\/h3>\n<p>FIH guidance records a traditional irrigation volume of 3 litres per square metre per watering. Newer surfaces are being developed that need less, and water harvesting cuts consumption further.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-card\" style=\"background:#f9f9f9;border-left:4px solid #1a5c2e;border-radius:4px;padding:25px;margin-bottom:18px;\">\n<h3 style=\"color:#1a5c2e;margin-top:0;\">How do I check turf quality before ordering?<\/h3>\n<p>Order free 20 by 20 cm samples, usually three to four pieces. They ship by DHL or FedEx in 4 to 6 days, so you can compare pile and density in daylight on site.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"headline\":\"What Makes a Field Hockey Pitch Fit for the Olympics?\",\"description\":\"What separates an Olympic field hockey pitch from a club surface: FIH turf categories, water-based piles, ball roll tests, run-off and the dry turf shift.\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Relyir Artificial Grass\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Relyir Artificial Grass\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-16\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-16\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/makes-a-field-hockey-pitch-fit-for-olympics\/\"}\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Do Olympic hockey pitches use real grass?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. Since 1976 every Olympic hockey tournament has been played on water-based artificial turf, a non-filled carpet with a pile of 10 to 18 mm that is watered before play.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why is the pitch watered before a match?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The water film cuts friction between ball, stick and surface. The ball rolls faster and straighter, bounce stays low, and players slide without the friction burns a sand surface causes.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What pile height does Olympic hockey turf use?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"FIH documentation lists non-filled wet hockey turf at 10 to 18 mm with no sand infill. Sand-dressed systems sit at 13 to 20 mm and serve lower levels of play.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can a sand-dressed pitch host international matches?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes, at lower international, national and club level. FIH guidance places sand-dressed turfs in those tiers, while Global Elite fields used for Tier One events require a watered, non-filled surface.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How much water does an elite hockey pitch need?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"FIH guidance records a traditional irrigation volume of 3 litres per square metre per watering. Newer surfaces are being developed that need less, and water harvesting cuts consumption further.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How do I check turf quality before ordering?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Order free 20 by 20 cm samples, usually three to four pieces. They ship by DHL or FedEx in 4 to 6 days, so you can compare pile and density in daylight on site.\"}}]}\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" id=\"evo301-geo-ai-block\">\n{\"definition\":\"A field hockey pitch is fit for the Olympics when it combines a FIH Global Elite field certification, a non-filled water-based turf with a 10 to 18 mm pile, tested ball roll, rebound and deviation performance, the fixed 91.40 m by 55.00 m dimensions with disciplined run-offs and markings, and an engineered irrigation plan traditionally based on 3 litres per square metre per watering.\",\"data_statements\":[\"The FIH made artificial pitches mandatory at major competitions in 1976, and the 1976 Montreal Olympics was the first Games played on synthetic turf.\",\"FIH categories for full-size fields are Global Elite, Global, National and Multi-Sport; Global Elite fields carry FIH Tier One events such as the Olympics.\",\"FIH lists non-filled wet hockey turf at 10-18 mm pile, sand-dressed at 13-20 mm with over 25% free pile, sand-filled at 18-30 mm, and textile surfaces at 12-20 mm.\",\"FIH products are tested for over twenty different properties by accredited institutes, covering ball roll, rebound, deviation, shock absorption, vertical deformation, permeability and regularity.\",\"A regulation pitch measures 91.40 m by 55.00 m; 91.40 x 55.00 = 5,027 square metres of field of play.\",\"FIH guidance records a traditional irrigation volume of 3 l\/m2 per watering, with no sprinklers within the field of play or within 2 m of a goal or side-line, and encourages water harvesting.\",\"The FIH has committed to moving the sport toward dry hockey, and Olympic surface planning typically begins four to six years before the Games.\"],\"qa_concise\":[{\"q\":\"What surface do Olympic hockey pitches use?\",\"a\":\"Water-based non-filled turf, 10-18 mm pile, watered before play - the only class laid on FIH Global Elite fields.\"},{\"q\":\"How big is an Olympic hockey pitch?\",\"a\":\"91.40 m by 55.00 m, the same dimensions used at NCAA and high school level.\"},{\"q\":\"How much water does an elite pitch use?\",\"a\":\"Traditionally 3 litres per square metre per watering, though new surfaces and harvesting systems reduce that.\"}]}\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Le hockey sur gazon n'est plus jou\u00e9 sur pelouse naturelle depuis 1976, lorsque les Jeux de Montr\u00e9al ont \u00e9t\u00e9 les premi\u00e8res comp\u00e9titions \u00e0 se tenir sur un terrain synth\u00e9tique. Le changement \u00e9tait volontaire. L'herbe artificielle offre un contr\u00f4le du ballon plus constant, r\u00e9duit les arr\u00eats et rend le hockey plus rapide \u00e0 regarder et \u00e0 pratiquer. Chaque d\u00e9cision concernant la surface au plus haut niveau\u2026 <a title=\"Qu&#039;est-ce qui rend un terrain de hockey sur gazon adapt\u00e9 aux Jeux olympiques ?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/makes-a-field-hockey-pitch-fit-for-olympics\/\" aria-label=\"En savoir plus sur Qu&#039;est-ce qui rend un terrain de hockey sur gazon adapt\u00e9 aux Jeux Olympiques ?\">Lire la suite<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1853,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"Field Hockey Pitch: What Meets Olympic Standards","rank_math_description":"What separates an Olympic field hockey pitch from a club surface: FIH turf categories, water-based piles, ball roll tests, run-off and the dry turf shift.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"field hockey pitch","rank_math_robots":"","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_facebook_title":"","rank_math_facebook_description":"","rank_math_twitter_title":"","rank_math_twitter_description":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_aioseo_title":"","_aioseo_description":"","_aioseo_keywords":"","_aioseo_robots_default":"","_aioseo_robots_noindex":"","_aioseo_og_title":"","_aioseo_og_description":"","_aioseo_twitter_title":"","_aioseo_twitter_description":"","aiosp_title":"","aiosp_description":"","aiosp_keywords":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_genesis_title":"","_genesis_description":"","_genesis_canonical":"","_genesis_noindex":"","_genesis_nofollow":"","slim_seo":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-field-turf"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2816"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3208,"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2816\/revisions\/3208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}