Construction of XtraGrass training pitch finished at Russian Premier League club FC Zenit St Petersburg, Russia

Being the first XtraGrass pitch in Russia, GreenFields is very pleased to announce the realisation of a hybrid XtraGrass field at top Premier League club FC Zenit St. Petersburg. As a result of the partnership between ENGO Russia and GreenFields, FC Zenit will now benefit from a facility that displays the characteristics of natural grass, combined with the added strength and durability of artificial turf.

As one of the most successful clubs in Russia, FC Zenit has won a number of titles and trophies in domestic as well as international competitions since they were founded in 1925. These include winning the Russian Premier League (1984, 2007, 2010, 2011-12, 2014-15) and the UEFA Cup in 2007-08.

In their search for a new training pitch for their first team, the club tested several hybrid solutions. When combining this research with Zenit’s long-term relationship with ENGO and the references of GreenFields XtraGrass at other top clubs in Europe, the choice became clear.

Making this decision enables the team to train on a woven hybrid product, meaning that the artificial grass fibres (approximately 7% of the total pitch) are woven into a partially biodegradable backing, resulting in a matrix through which plant roots grow and moisture and nutrients flow. The artificial grass fibres protect the natural grass (approximately 93% of the total pitch) by maintaining surface stability and reducing damage. They also absorb some of the pressure and wear that would normally be absorbed by the natural grass, resulting in a more durable surface. When a player stops, turns or accelerates, the artificial grass fibres assist with traction and reinforcement, ultimately reducing divots and other damage to the surface.

Because of the hybrid composition of GreenFields XtraGrass, the number of playing and training hours available on the pitch is increased and gives FC Zenit more opportunities to make use of the field. In addition, ball behaviour is the same as on a natural pitch, while the surface has increased stability due to enhanced artificial coverage and will stay green all year round. Also, when the end-of-life of the pitch is reached, it can be easily recycled in one step as the backing and fibres are part of the same polymer family.

Alongside this new XtraGrass training pitch, a full-size GreenFields MX Elite training pitch will be installed for the Youth Academy of FC Zenit. This will be the first MX pitch in Russia as FC Zenit lead the way in adopting high-quality, woven artificial turf for their elite facility.