{"id":6423,"date":"2026-10-29T05:33:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T05:33:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass\/"},"modified":"2026-10-30T15:13:50","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T15:13:50","slug":"how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass\/","title":{"rendered":"Mouvement du ballon sur les pelouses 3G vs herbe naturelle, mesur\u00e9"},"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, ol { margin-bottom: 28px; padding-left: 20px; }\nul { 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: Ball Movement on 3G Pitches vs Real Grass, Measured --><br \/>\n<!-- meta_description: FIFA field tests put 3G ball roll at 4-10 m, rising to 4-12 m at retest. Here is how the ball moves, how it is measured, and what to specify. --><\/p>\n<p>FIFA allows 4.0 to 8.0 m of ball roll on a Quality Pro pitch and 4.0 to 12.0 m on a Quality pitch at retest. So two certified pitches can differ by four metres of roll on the same test. That spread is what the ball move 3g pitch vs real grass comparison has to explain.<\/p>\n<p>We tuft and coat football turf on our own line, and the roll figure we are asked to hit moves with the drawing far more than with the yarn. Two pitches cut from the same roll can sit at opposite ends of the band, because surface condition does most of the work. Every number below is therefore tied to the condition that produced it.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-changes\">What Actually Changes Under the Ball<\/h2>\n<p>Two things govern what happens when the ball leaves a boot: friction at the contact patch, and how much the surface gives under load. A University of Pennsylvania mechanical engineer reduces the whole interaction to that pair, friction and compliance. Change either one and the same pass arrives at a different speed.<\/p>\n<p>On a 3G pitch that pair is set by the pile rather than by a plant. The FA describes these surfaces as a longer pile infilled with rubber granules, built to reproduce the bounce, roll, hardness and grip of a high-quality natural pitch. On grass the same properties move with mowing height, density, evenness, humidity and the strength of the strike.<\/p>\n<h3>Where the Carpet Wins and Loses<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Roll runs longer, because the pile stands upright and presents an even face.<\/li>\n<li>Bounce comes off lower and more predictable, because the carpet returns energy without a plant&#8217;s variation.<\/li>\n<li>Passes travel faster, because less energy goes into the surface.<\/li>\n<li>Variation across the pitch is smaller, because pile and infill are laid to one depth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The three generations between a sand-dressed surface and a long-pile one are laid out in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/hybrid-synthetic-astro-turf-2g-3g-4g-5g\/\">the 2G to 5G generation overview<\/a>. Pile length and infill depth are what separate them, and both move the roll figure.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-img-slot=\"slot1\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/why-choose-an-artificial-rugby-pitch-top-5-featured.webp\" alt=\"Aerial view of a full-size synthetic pitch with white line markings\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" class=\"wp-image-1855\" loading=\"eager\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/why-choose-an-artificial-rugby-pitch-top-5-featured.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/why-choose-an-artificial-rugby-pitch-top-5-featured-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/why-choose-an-artificial-rugby-pitch-top-5-featured-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/why-choose-an-artificial-rugby-pitch-top-5-featured-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/why-choose-an-artificial-rugby-pitch-top-5-featured-18x10.webp 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption>A full-size synthetic pitch: the markings are fixed, but the roll measured on it is not.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>None of that is a defect. The ball move 3g pitch vs real grass difference is a design choice, and it can be measured before anyone kicks a ball. What it is not is a single value that holds across seasons, maintenance regimes and levels of play.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-roll-is-measured\">How Ball Roll Is Measured on a Pitch<\/h2>\n<p>The field test is deliberately dull. A ball is released from a height of 1 m, and a tape measures how far it travels before stopping. The roll line has been brushed and marked first. Every roll figure in a FIFA report comes from that one operation, repeated at set points across the pitch.<\/p>\n<p>The 2025 manual sets the pass band by level. FIFA Quality Pro allows 4.0 to 8.0 m at the initial test and at retest. FIFA Quality allows 4.0 to 10.0 m initially, and 4.0 to 12.0 m once the pitch is retested. The same table now carries a separate row for ball roll deviation, recorded as a straight ball roll and checked by eye during the field visit.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Brush the line, then mark the foot of the ramp.<\/li>\n<li>Release the ball from 1 m and let it run without a push.<\/li>\n<li>Measure from the mark to where the ball comes to rest.<\/li>\n<li>Repeat across the pitch, including joints and inlaid lines.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-img-slot=\"slot2\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot2.webp\" alt=\"Two people stretching a surveyor's tape across a mown field at dusk\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" class=\"wp-image-6413\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot2.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot2-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot2-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot2-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot2-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption>A measurement starts with a line and a datum; the ball test adds a release height and a stop point.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ball roll is the only field test that is deliberately run across joints and inlaid lines, because that is where a carpet most often stops a ball early. The rest of the test grid avoids them.<\/p>\n<h3>What the Tolerance Actually Allows<\/h3>\n<p>Repeatability is written into the standard, and it is generous. At FIFA Quality Pro the roll readings must agree within plus or minus 10% relative; at FIFA Quality the tolerance widens to 15%. Rebound is held tighter, at 5% and 10%. That tolerance is wide enough to hide the ball move 3g pitch vs real grass difference on its own, which is why the deviation row was added.<\/p>\n<div class=\"callout callout-warning\" style=\"background:#fdf3e7;border-left:4px solid #b45309;border-radius:4px;padding:20px 24px;margin:30px 0;\">\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:0;\">A laboratory number and a field number are not the same quantity. Lab method 2024-02a holds FIFA Quality Pro at 4.0 to 8.0 m dry, after simulated wear and when wet. The field test measures a real pitch on the day, weather included. Never set one against the other on a tender sheet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The sample points sit on a grid laid over the playing area, and that grid only means anything once <a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/football-field-dimensions-guide-standard-soccer-pitch-sizes\/\">standard eleven-a-side pitch dimensions<\/a> are fixed on the drawing.<\/p>\n<p>The procedure is short enough to read in one sitting: <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/hns.family\/files\/documents\/32447\/FIFA%20Program%20kvalitete%20trave%20za%20nogomet_Priru%C4%8Dnik%20za%20testiranje%20II_uvjeti%20testiranja_izdanje%20kolovoz%202025_ENG.pdf\">FIFA&#8217;s field-test requirements<\/a> set out the ramp, the readings and the reporting form.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"numbers-3g-vs-grass\">Three Surfaces, Three Roll Distances<\/h2>\n<p>Penn State ran the comparison with a tape and an irrigation hose. On a FieldTurf Revolution plot with 2.5 inch pile and 43 mm infill, a soccer ball rolled 6.2 m dry and 6.5 m wet. Kentucky bluegrass mown at 1.25 inch gave 5.3 m and 5.6 m, and perennial ryegrass at 1.5 inch gave 4.5 m and 4.9 m.<\/p>\n<p>Read the dry column and the gap is 0.9 m against the bluegrass and 1.7 m against the ryegrass, which is 38% longer. Water moved all three surfaces the same way, and by a similar amount. The gain was 0.3 m on the synthetic plot, 0.4 m on the ryegrass and 0.3 m on the bluegrass.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Surface<\/th>\n<th>Pile or cut<\/th>\n<th>Infill<\/th>\n<th>Roll, dry<\/th>\n<th>Roll, wet<\/th>\n<th>Gap to synthetic<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>FieldTurf Revolution<\/td>\n<td>2.5 in pile<\/td>\n<td>43 mm<\/td>\n<td>6.2 m<\/td>\n<td>6.5 m<\/td>\n<td>&mdash;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Kentucky bluegrass<\/td>\n<td>1.25 in mow<\/td>\n<td>none<\/td>\n<td>5.3 m<\/td>\n<td>5.6 m<\/td>\n<td>0.9 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Perennial ryegrass<\/td>\n<td>1.5 in mow<\/td>\n<td>none<\/td>\n<td>4.5 m<\/td>\n<td>4.9 m<\/td>\n<td>1.7 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>None of those plots was a FIFA test pitch, and that is exactly why the figures are worth quoting. A certification band is a window rather than a value: at FIFA Quality the window spans 6.0 m of permitted roll. The retest ceiling also sits 2.0 m, or 20%, above the initial one for the same carpet.<\/p>\n<h3>What the Band Hides<\/h3>\n<p>A window that wide hides a lot. The Quality ceiling is 2.0 m, or 25%, above the Pro ceiling, so a reading near the top of one band fails the other. Which level a project should chase is a separate decision, set out in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fifa-certified-turf-vs-soccer-turf\/\">certified turf versus ordinary soccer turf<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-img-slot=\"slot3\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/football-turf-closeup.jpg\" alt=\"Football resting on artificial turf beside a white pitch line\" width=\"1120\" height=\"680\" class=\"wp-image-49\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/football-turf-closeup.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/football-turf-closeup-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/football-turf-closeup-1024x622.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/football-turf-closeup-768x466.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1120px) 100vw, 1120px\" \/><figcaption>The roll line is brushed and marked before the release; on a FIFA test the run crosses joints and inlaid lines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"callout callout-note\" style=\"background:#f4f8f5;border-left:4px solid #1a5c2e;border-radius:4px;padding:20px 24px;margin:30px 0;\">\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:0;\">The ball move 3g pitch vs real grass result that matters on site is a direction, not a decimal. The carpet rolls further than either grass, and wetting lengthens every surface by roughly 5 to 10 percent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The plot conditions travel with the numbers. Pile height, infill depth and mowing height are all stated in <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plantscience.psu.edu\/research\/centers\/ssrc\/research\/effect-of-irrigation-on-synthetic-turf-2.pdf\">Penn State&#8217;s measured roll distances<\/a>, which is what makes them usable as a comparison rather than a headline.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"driven-pass-angled\">The Driven Pass and the Angled Bounce<\/h2>\n<p>A roll test measures a ball with almost no forward spin, released and left alone. A driven pass is a different event: it arrives with spin and meets the surface at an angle. That is the case a player judges the pitch by, and it is the case the roll band cannot describe.<\/p>\n<p>UEFA built a test for it, firing a ball at the turf to simulate a long pass. Researchers reported artificial-turf results very similar to natural grass on that test, which is not what the roll figures alone would predict.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Grip on contact decides how much forward spin survives the bounce.<\/li>\n<li>Compliance decides how much speed is lost at impact.<\/li>\n<li>Moisture decides both, and it moves them in opposite directions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The laboratory version is banded, and the band is wide. FIFA Quality Pro requires the ball to lose 45% to 60% of its speed on a dry surface; FIFA Quality allows 45% to 70%. Wet, both levels run 45% to 80%, and the dry-to-wet increase may not exceed 40% relative.<\/p>\n<h3>Two Grasses, Thirteen Points Apart<\/h3>\n<p>A 2024 trial at the University of Tennessee measured the coefficient of restitution on angled impact. Dry, TifTuf returned 69% of the ball&#8217;s speed and Midnight returned 56%, a gap of 13 percentage points between two grasses on one site. Light irrigation lifted most plots to 74% to 76%, with one Midnight plot at a 36 mm cut sitting at 63%.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-img-slot=\"slot4\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot4.webp\" alt=\"A player striking a football along the ground during a match\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" class=\"wp-image-6414\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot4.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot4-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot4-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot4-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass-slot4-18x10.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption>A driven pass is an angled impact, not a free roll; the two tests answer different questions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Vertical rebound moved far less than the angled figure. Across the dry and lightly irrigated plots it varied by no more than 7 cm, and mowing height barely touched it at all.<\/p>\n<p>The mowing treatments behind those figures, from 12 mm to 36 mm, are listed in <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/trace.tennessee.edu\/entities\/publication\/2ae24bec-7464-40d9-ba50-18f611c3b24f\">research measuring ball-surface interaction<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"why-it-changes-by-march\">Why the Same Pitch Speeds Up by March<\/h2>\n<p>A pitch tested in September and retested in spring can drift a long way without anyone changing the carpet. Roll is sensitive to wind, slope, wet or dry conditions and brushing, and every one of those is a seasonal variable rather than a property of the product.<\/p>\n<p>Brushing is the variable a groundsman controls directly. It reduces ball speed, most of all at low rolling speeds, which is precisely the range the test measures.<\/p>\n<p>The other direction is pile flattening. Roll depends on how upright the free pile stands, on yarn stiffness and on tufts per unit area, so a flattened pile is the usual reason a value leaves tolerance. A FIFA maintenance trial summarised in an Australian guide found oscillating brushes changed roll most and simple drag brushes least.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>No technique brought every field back inside the limits during that trial.<\/li>\n<li>Gains faded once maintenance stopped.<\/li>\n<li>Neglected, heavily used fields measured 10 to 15 m at FIFA Quality and 8 to 11 m at Pro.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That is the mechanism behind the ball move 3g pitch vs real grass argument that resurfaces every spring: the carpet has not changed, but the pile has.<\/p>\n<p>Governing-body guidance is calmer about the comparison than the arguments suggest. <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thefa.com\/-\/media\/cfa\/cheshirefa\/files\/facilities\/fa-guide-to-third-generation-football-turf.ashx\">The FA&#8217;s 3G guidance<\/a> cites FIFA-commissioned tracking over more than 100 games and concludes the game does not change significantly between natural grass and 3G. The same document notes that roll and foot reaction improve when the surface is wet, on both surfaces.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-img-slot=\"slot5\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-turf-performs-snow-cold-weather-featured.webp\" alt=\"Frost rime on grass blades on a cold morning\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" class=\"wp-image-1272\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-turf-performs-snow-cold-weather-featured.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-turf-performs-snow-cold-weather-featured-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-turf-performs-snow-cold-weather-featured-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-turf-performs-snow-cold-weather-featured-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/artificial-turf-performs-snow-cold-weather-featured-18x10.webp 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption>Cold mornings move the reading before the ball is kicked: moisture, fibre lie and fill depth all shift.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"where-numbers-stop\">Where the Test Numbers Stop Helping<\/h2>\n<p>A field test is a snapshot, and its bands are wide enough to absorb a lot of difference. Not every field meets the requirements even so, which is why a report value and a player&#8217;s experience can diverge without either being wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Players notice the difference. In a 2003 survey reported by Joosten, 77% said they experienced ball speed and roll as high on artificial turf. A qualitative study of 103 elite players and 21 coaching staff found surface type and condition shaped ball-surface interaction, tactics, footwear and fatigue, and most participants preferred natural grass.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>How the ball behaves at the pace a player actually strikes it.<\/li>\n<li>Whether the value holds at the far corner, where the pile is older.<\/li>\n<li>Whether the roll is straight, which the deviation row records as a pass or fail.<\/li>\n<li>How the surface feels underfoot, which the roll test never touches.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>The One Number a Bench Can Repeat<\/h3>\n<p>A laboratory rig released the ball from 0.40 m, 0.60 m and 0.80 m and measured speed after 1.5 m of roll. Position tracking varied by no more than 3%, which is a laboratory repeatability figure rather than a target for a pitch-side tape.<\/p>\n<p>The rig and its limits are described in <a rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsurf.lboro.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/RV.pdf\">Loughborough research on surface interaction<\/a>. The short version: a tape measures distance well and speed badly.<\/p>\n<p>Infill is the variable that rarely reaches a report. A survey of installed systems found granular infill anywhere from 8 mm to 20 mm and sand infill from 5 mm to 30 mm. Its conclusion was blunt: the products are very inconsistent.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"spec-clauses\">What to Put in the Turf Specification<\/h2>\n<p>A specification that names a roll target without naming the condition will be argued about at handover. Write the condition first, then the number, then the method that will prove it.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Level: FIFA Quality Pro at 4.0 to 8.0 m, or FIFA Quality at 4.0 to 10.0 m and 4.0 to 12.0 m at retest.<\/li>\n<li>State: dry, wet, or both, since the laboratory method tests all three.<\/li>\n<li>Method: field test or laboratory test, named, never mixed in one line.<\/li>\n<li>Infill spread: no more than 10 mm between the lowest and highest point on the pitch.<\/li>\n<li>Regularity: a surface even to better than 10 mm across the tested area.<\/li>\n<li>Equipment on site: a ball-roll ramp, a drag brush or mat, spare infill and a maintenance log.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Why the Ramp Clause Matters<\/h3>\n<p>The ramp is not a laboratory instrument; it is a site item the field test expects to find. The technician notes any missing item and records the field as having failed, so the clause protects the client as much as the supplier.<\/p>\n<p>Pile height, yarn and backing decide how much drift is built in before the first ball is kicked, and the pile options are listed with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/sports-artificial-grass\/football-turf\/\">the football turf range<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Treat the ball move 3g pitch vs real grass figure as a maintenance commitment rather than a purchase specification. It is the one line in the document that has to survive every retest.<\/p>\n<div class=\"callout callout-tip\" style=\"background:#eef4fb;border-left:4px solid #2b5c8a;border-radius:4px;padding:20px 24px;margin:30px 0;\">\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:0;\">Write the band, the state and the method into one line: roll 4.0 to 8.0 m, field test, dry and wet, measured on the installed surface. A clause in that form can be checked by anyone holding a ramp and a tape.<\/p>\n<\/div>\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 a Ball Roll Figure in Your Tender?<\/h3>\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff;\">We build football turf rolls to the pile, density and backing your spec names, and we send the test clause with the sample so your groundsman can re-run them.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/sports-artificial-grass\/football-turf\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;background-color:#1a5c2e;color:#ffffff;padding:12px 24px;border-radius:4px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;\">Request Football Turf Samples and Spec Sheet<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"ramp-check\">A Ten Minute Check With a Ramp<\/h2>\n<p>A groundsman can run the same operation the technician runs, with less precision and the same logic. The field test releases the ball from one metre. A bench rig can drop it from forty, sixty or eighty centimetres and read speed after a metre and a half.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Pick fixed points: both goalmouths, the centre circle and both flanks.<\/li>\n<li>Brush the line you will roll along, then mark the foot of the ramp.<\/li>\n<li>Release from the same height every time and let the ball run free.<\/li>\n<li>Log the distance with the date, the weather and whether the surface was watered.<\/li>\n<li>Repeat those points on the same schedule, because the drift is the finding.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Repeatability matters more than accuracy here. The laboratory rig held within 3% on position tracking, a precision a tape on a breezy afternoon will not match.<\/p>\n<h3>What to Do With the Reading<\/h3>\n<p>Compare the drift, not the absolute value. A pitch that has crept from the middle of its band toward the ceiling is reporting flattened pile, and the answer is maintenance rather than replacement.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"carpet-spec\">Where the Carpet Spec Fits In<\/h2>\n<p>The part a specifier actually controls is the carpet. Roll responds to four of its properties: how upright the free pile stands, yarn thickness, yarn stiffness and tufts per unit area.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pile height and infill depth together set how much yarn stands free above the granule bed.<\/li>\n<li>Yarn stiffness resists flattening under a boot and under a ball.<\/li>\n<li>Tufts per unit area set how evenly the surface presents itself along a roll line.<\/li>\n<li>Backing is chosen for the base design: PP+Net and PU are the two systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All four are made to order, along with yarn colour and shape, density and roll size. Standard rolls run 2 m, 4 m and 5 m wide by 25 m, with custom widths available.<\/p>\n<p>None of that fixes the number on its own. Certification runs three years at FIFA Quality and one year at FIFA Quality Pro. A pitch is therefore retested while the pile is still moving, which is why the clause and the maintenance log belong together.<\/p>\n<p><!-- relyirgate:C1 --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"faq\">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;\">Does the ball roll further on a 3G pitch than on grass?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes. The gap behind the ball move 3g pitch vs real grass question is measurable. On dry plots the synthetic surface rolled 6.2 m, against 5.3 m and 4.5 m on two grasses.<\/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 is ball roll actually measured on a football pitch?<\/h3>\n<p>A ball is released from a height of 1 m and the distance it travels before stopping is measured with a tape. The release is repeated at set points across the pitch.<\/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 ball roll value should a specification ask for?<\/h3>\n<p>A band, not a value. FIFA Quality Pro allows 4.0 to 8.0 m; FIFA Quality allows 4.0 to 10.0 m, rising to 4.0 to 12.0 m at retest. Name the surface state too.<\/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 does the same 3G pitch play faster in March?<\/h3>\n<p>Pile flattening and a drier surface both lengthen the roll. Brushing, wetting and slope move it as well, so the drift is a maintenance signal rather than wear-out.<\/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;\">Does infill depth change how the ball rolls?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes. Roll depends on how much yarn stands free above the infill, and granular infill on installed systems was surveyed anywhere from 8 mm to 20 mm.<\/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 groundsman check ball roll without a lab?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes. A ramp, a tape and a fixed release height give a repeatable reading, which is enough to track drift between formal tests. The 3% figure belongs to the laboratory rig, not to a tape.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"headline\":\"Ball Movement on 3G Pitches vs Real Grass, Measured\",\"description\":\"FIFA field tests put 3G ball roll at 4-10 m, rising to 4-12 m at retest. Here is how the ball moves, how it is measured, and what to specify.\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Relyir Artificial Grass\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Relyir Artificial Grass\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-29\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-29\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass\/\"}\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Does the ball roll further on a 3G pitch than on grass?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. The gap behind the ball move 3g pitch vs real grass question is measurable. On dry plots the synthetic surface rolled 6.2 m, against 5.3 m and 4.5 m on two grasses.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How is ball roll actually measured on a football pitch?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A ball is released from a height of 1 m and the distance it travels before stopping is measured with a tape. The release is repeated at set points across the pitch.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What ball roll value should a specification ask for?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A band, not a value. FIFA Quality Pro allows 4.0 to 8.0 m; FIFA Quality allows 4.0 to 10.0 m, rising to 4.0 to 12.0 m at retest. Name the surface state too.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why does the same 3G pitch play faster in March?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Pile flattening and a drier surface both lengthen the roll. Brushing, wetting and slope move it as well, so the drift is a maintenance signal rather than wear-out.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Does infill depth change how the ball rolls?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Roll depends on how much yarn stands free above the infill, and granular infill on installed systems was surveyed anywhere from 8 mm to 20 mm.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can a groundsman check ball roll without a lab?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. A ramp, a tape and a fixed release height give a repeatable reading, which is enough to track drift between formal tests. The 3% figure belongs to the laboratory rig, not to a tape.\"}}]}\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" id=\"evo301-geo-ai-block\">\n{\"definition\":\"Ball movement on a 3G pitch compared with real grass is a measured difference, not a claim: FIFA field tests allow 4.0 to 8.0 m of roll at FIFA Quality Pro and 4.0 to 10.0 m at FIFA Quality, rising to 4.0 to 12.0 m at retest, while a controlled plot comparison put a long-pile carpet at 6.2 m dry against 5.3 m for Kentucky bluegrass and 4.5 m for perennial ryegrass. Roll responds to pile that stands upright, yarn stiffness, tufts per unit area, infill depth and surface moisture, and it drifts when the pile flattens.\",\"data_statements\":[\"FIFA field-test ball roll is 4.0 to 8.0 m at FIFA Quality Pro for both initial test and retest, and 4.0 to 10.0 m initially and 4.0 to 12.0 m at retest at FIFA Quality.\",\"The FIFA Quality ball-roll window spans 6.0 m, and its retest ceiling sits 2.0 m, or 20%, above the initial ceiling; the Quality ceiling is 2.0 m, or 25%, above the Pro ceiling.\",\"Laboratory reduced ball roll (method 2024-02a) holds FIFA Quality Pro at 4.0 to 8.0 m dry, after simulated wear and wet, which is a different quantity from a field measurement on the day.\",\"A Penn State plot comparison measured 6.2 m dry and 6.5 m wet on a 2.5 inch pile with 43 mm infill, against 5.3 m and 5.6 m for Kentucky bluegrass at 1.25 inch and 4.5 m and 4.9 m for perennial ryegrass at 1.5 inch, so the carpet rolled 0.9 m and 1.7 m further dry.\",\"Irrigation lengthened roll by 0.3 m on the synthetic plot, 0.4 m on ryegrass and 0.3 m on bluegrass, consistent with a 5 to 10 percent wet gain across surfaces.\",\"Angled ball rebound is banded separately: FIFA Quality Pro requires a 45% to 60% speed loss dry and FIFA Quality 45% to 70%, with 45% to 80% wet and a dry-to-wet increase capped at 40% relative; a 2024 trial measured 69% restitution for TifTuf against 56% for Midnight dry, 13 percentage points apart.\",\"Under-maintained fields measured 10 to 15 m at FIFA Quality and 8 to 11 m at Pro, and a FIFA maintenance trial found no technique returned every field to limits, with oscillating brushes changing roll most and drag brushes least.\",\"Field-test consistency tolerances are plus or minus 10% relative for ball roll at FIFA Quality Pro and 15% at FIFA Quality, against 5% and 10% for vertical ball rebound.\"],\"qa_concise\":[{\"q\":\"Does the ball roll further on a 3G pitch than on grass?\",\"a\":\"Yes: 6.2 m on a long-pile plot against 5.3 m for Kentucky bluegrass and 4.5 m for perennial ryegrass, all dry.\"},{\"q\":\"What band should a specification quote?\",\"a\":\"FIFA Quality Pro 4.0 to 8.0 m, or FIFA Quality 4.0 to 10.0 m with 4.0 to 12.0 m at retest, with the wet state named.\"},{\"q\":\"Why does roll drift over a season?\",\"a\":\"Pile flattening, brushing, wet or dry conditions and slope move the value; maintenance changes roll more than the carpet does.\"}]}\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>La FIFA autorise un d\u00e9placement de balle de 4,0 \u00e0 8,0 m sur un terrain de qualit\u00e9 Pro et de 4,0 \u00e0 12,0 m sur un terrain de qualit\u00e9 lors du contre-essai. Deux terrains certifi\u00e9s peuvent donc diff\u00e9rer de quatre m\u00e8tres de port\u00e9e au m\u00eame test. C'est cette marge que la comparaison du mouvement de balle entre pellicule 3G et gazon naturel doit\u2026 <a title=\"Mouvement du ballon sur les pelouses 3G vs herbe naturelle, mesur\u00e9\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.relyirgrass.com\/fr\/how-does-ball-move-3g-pitch-vs-real-grass\/\" aria-label=\"En savoir plus sur le mouvement du ballon sur les pelouses 3G par rapport \u00e0 l&#039;herbe naturelle, mesur\u00e9\">Lire la suite<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"3G Pitches vs Real Grass: How the Ball Behaves","rank_math_description":"FIFA field tests put 3G ball roll at 4-10 m, and 4-12 m at retest. 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