Seoul World Cup (Sangam) Stadium Hybrid Turf Installation

Seoul Facilities Corporation Plans to Complete Improvement Project by Year-End to Replace Main Stadium Ground Natural Grass with Hanji-Type Natural Grass with Hybrid Grass Mixed with Artificial Turf

Joseongil, Chairman of Seoul Facilities Corporation (far right), is inspecting the Seoul World Cup Stadium soccer field with employees.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seoul Facilities Corporation (Chairman Seongil Jo) is introducing hybrid turf at Seoul World Cup Stadium, the first domestic soccer stadium to do so.

The corporation began improvement work on the main stadium ground, which had been maintained with Hanji-type natural grass since its opening in 2001, converting it to hybrid turf?a mixture of natural and artificial grass?starting from the 5th of this month, with completion expected within this year.

As a result, from the first half of next year’s K League, it will provide the optimal soccer playing environment year-round.

The hybrid turf, first introduced by the corporation, consists of artificial turf mats (1m×10m) seeded with natural grass. The artificial turf fibers protect the roots of the natural grass. The main purpose is to prevent ground rutting, and maintaining flatness helps prevent player injuries and ensures the ball rolls consistently during passes, improving game performance.

Being in mat form also allows immediate replacement of damaged sections.

The existing main stadium ground uses Hanji-type natural grass (Kentucky Bluegrass), with an optimal growth temperature of 15~25℃. Additionally, the stadium roof blocks proper ventilation, causing frequent turf rutting during hot and humid summers.

The corporation has been researching the suitability of domestic and international artificial turf products for hybrid use to improve turf ground quality. Over three years, they monitored grass species, seed mixing ratios, and appropriate lengths of artificial turf fibers for hybrid turf using multipurpose fields and reserve pitches as test beds.

From these results, they planted actual sections in the main stadium and conducted testing, completing a Korean-style hybrid turf combination optimized for the stadium environment.

Unlike the European method of mixing Kentucky Bluegrass and Tall Fescue seeds and planting artificial turf within natural grass, this system is designed by seeding natural grass onto artificial turf mats. This makes planting and maintenance, including reseeding, much easier.

Thorough consultation and on-site inspections were conducted throughout the growth management process, including seeding, mowing, raking, verticutting, fertilizing, and preventive treatments.

After FC Seoul’s home games conclude in early October, removal of the natural grass and sand from the main stadium will begin, and from November, hybrid turf grown over two years will be sequentially planted.

Along with this, the sand layer for turf planting, which has deteriorated in drainage capacity after 20 years of use, will be completely replaced. Advanced management equipment (artificial lighting devices, installers, etc.) will also be introduced and utilized to ensure successful establishment.

Chairman Seongil Jo stated, "Considering that the corporation is introducing and operating the first hybrid turf in a domestic stadium, we plan to pay special attention to establishing a foundation for maintenance and management."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.