The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has taken another significant step in the ongoing preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar by successfully giving the renowned Al Sadd SC Stadium a new surface. The turf was developed and tested in the pioneering turf Research and Development Centre at Aspire Zone.
SC Manager for Landscape and Sport Turf Yasser al-Mulla revealed that following the returfing of the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium on 12 June, three games of the Qatar Amateur League, including the final, were staged on the new turf.
“Normally, during a game, some bits of grass could be uprooted. But in the matches played following the laying of the new turf we had no such problems,” al-Mulla told www.sc.qa.
Al-Mulla said the returfing venture was part of a backup strategy being developed by the SC to ensure top quality turf for 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar stadiums. “The objective of the exercise was to finish the returfing of the stadium in under 18 hours,” said al-Mulla. “We finished the work in less than 15 hours, which is a great effort.”    
Al-Mullah elaborated on the process of returfing, which started in the Research and Development Centre long before the work began in the stadium: “We started harvesting the turf at the centre on 10 June. Then we transported it to Al Sadd Stadium the next day. We unloaded the turf on the field and then levelled the site. We ensured that the soil and irrigation are ready to be used.”
Al-Mullah continued: “After returfing, the maintenance team, involving the SC and stakeholders Aspire Zone, stepped in for the levelling and top dressing. They then drew the lines. The newly laid turf was kept under irrigation for a day with the first Qatar Amateur League match on the new turf on 13 June.”
Al-Mullah is confident about the potential performance of the new surface. “Al Sadd SC have sought a report about the potential performance of the new turf in the future and our recommendation is that it will give the club absolutely no trouble at all because it is of top quality.”
Over the last eight months, different varieties of grass have been tested in the Research and Development Centre, a venture co-owned by the SC and Aspire Zone Foundation, which is the first of its kind in the region.  
The SC as part of tournament planning for 2022 FIFA World Cup are using the returfing exercise to develop the operational strategies related to pitch maintenance and repair. The SC operational planning team has also been working closely with the Qatar Football Association to arrange the necessary tournaments to test the resilience, durability and playing performance of the turf at key stages during the development. (sc.qa)