Pitch debate will continue to hover over Women's World Cup
February 18th, 2025by Neil Sherwin
Controversy over the use of synthetic surfaces for this year's FIFA Women's World Cup has been dismissed by Bonar Yarns, one of the pitch suppliers for this year's tournament in the Scottish manufacturer has worked on a number of playing surfaces, including Allianz Park which is home to the English rugby club Saracens, as well as the Olympic Stadium in Montreal which will host a number of Women's World Cup games this June, including a semi final.
The Olympic Stadium pitch was constructed by Bonar Yarns in conjunction with Act Global in time for the Under 20 Women's World Cup which took place in August of last year.
According to Act Global, their Xtreme Turf DX60 system uses the latest in sports technology:
The DX60 system offers the most resilient grass-like fibers, proven by extensive wear testing. The artificial grass blend provides a natural grass appearance, while offering optimal performance, comfort and durability.
The pitch is officially Two Star Recommended, meaning it can be utilised for any FIFA sanctioned matches or tournaments.
Montreal's Olympic Stadium has a synthetic surface and will host Women's World Cup matches
However, the use of such surfaces has been met with a negative response from players, and last October a law suit claiming sexual discrimination was filed against the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and FIFA.
In total, more than 50 players from the United States, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Spain, South Korea, Colombia, France and Costa Rica, including high profile stars like Abby Wambach and Nadine Angerer, got involved.
It's a gender issue through and through … This being the pinnacle of our sport, we feel like we should be treated just like the men.
- Abby Wambach, United States' all-time leading scorer
The suit was followed by a letter from 13 United States senators to FIFA, urging the federation to alter its stance and "begin good faith negotiations with these athletes, free of retaliation and with the equal treatment that they deserve".
However, FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke defended the choice of surface for the World Cup, and stated that something similar could be used for men's tournament's in the future.
He also refuted suggestions that it was a decision based on cost, pointing out that it would be too difficult to ensure suitable grass surfaces for all venues due to Canada's climate.
The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) proposed for the tournament to be played on artificial turf based on the fact that most sporting infrastructure in Canada is on artificial turf, primarily due to the extreme climate in the host country.
As has already been explained, this is not a question of money, or of differences between men's and women's events, but it is a matter of the natural conditions in Canada.
The law suit against the CSA and FIFA was eventually withdrawn
Related Posts
Synthetic pitch fiasco another chapter of FIFA incompetence- Home comfort would make Clermont Auvergne hard to beat in Heineken Cup | Robert Kitson
- 28 May 1928 – The Birth Of The World Cup
- Does FIFA + USSF = Inequality towards women?
- 17 March 2025 – Yet Another Brazilian Hat-Trick
- 24 February 2025 – The US Women Go Boxxing