DLF's European Championship on grass

From June 11 to July 11, 2021, millions of soccer fans will enjoy a month of exciting hours cheering on their favorite teams at the European Championship. The 24 qualified national teams will play 51 matches in no fewer than 11 different countries.

As the TV cameras roll, the fans roar, and the goals fly in, one hard-working player will be impossible to miss: the lush green championship turf. And when the winning team lifts the trophy in London, Wembley's pitch will still need to look fantastic.

DLF grass in six stadiums

Two of the stadiums, Rome and Seville, use warm-season grasses. Of the remaining nine stadiums, no fewer than six have DLF grass. These are the stadiums in Amsterdam, St. Petersburg, Baku, London, Budapest, and Copenhagen. In some stadiums, DLF grasses are part of the original turf, while in others, DLF grasses have been incorporated into the turf through overseeding. Overseeding allows the field to grow into a beautiful and, above all, strong turf. Whether it is sowing or overseeding, all grass seed mixtures used have one thing in common. They are composed of diploid perennial ryegrass and between 25%-40% 4turf® varieties, specially developed by DLF. On the majority of the 11 fields, you will find the 4turf varieties FABIAN, TETRAGAME, TETRASTAR, and TETRAGREEN.

Looking at geography, there is a big difference between St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea, the oceanic climate of London, Baku on the Caspian Sea, and Budapest in Central Eastern Europe. All of these stadiums face different challenges. Some have a mild and humid coastal climate; some have cooler temperatures in winter and late spring, and others have to deal with heat or drought problems. A specific turf solution must be developed for each of these challenges.

DLF 4turf in most stadiums

In just a few years, the popular 4turf varieties have become an important component in grass seed mixtures for turf producers and for use in overseeding. One of the most striking characteristics is the high stress tolerance that 4turf varieties offer compared to standard varieties. This is reflected in significantly improved winter survival and winter color, and a deep green summer color.

4turf has set new standards for turf, and the 4turf variety FABIAN was recently included in the European Seed list of the 20 most innovative plant varieties in Europe.

The best 4turf varieties are fine-leaved and dense and have a fantastic ability to resist disease and drought. Drought tolerance is an important factor for groundskeepers, as drought-tolerant varieties require less irrigation, which in turn contributes to a lower risk of fungal infestation in the lawn. Reducing watering is also the best way to limit the spread of street grass.