As stadium designs evolve, removable pitch technology has become a game-changer for multi-purpose venues. These innovative fields can be removed and stored, allowing stadiums to host various events without damaging the playing surface. Here are some of the top stadiums worldwide that boast removable pitch technology.
Schalke’s Veltins-Arena (Gelsenkirchen, Germany)
The Veltins-Arena, home to Bundesliga club Schalke 04, is another example of an innovative removable pitch stadium. Its natural grass field sits on a movable tray that can be rolled outside for sunlight and air. When non-football events such as concerts or motor racing occur inside the stadium, the field is removed, protecting it from damage.
This system allows Schalke 04 to maintain an optimal playing surface year-round while maximizing the stadium’s versatility for other uses.
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, USA)
State Farm Stadium, home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, is another impressive venue featuring a removable natural grass field. The pitch is grown on a 40-inch-deep tray that can roll in and out of the stadium. Like Allegiant Stadium, this design ensures that the grass receives adequate sunlight outside while allowing the stadium to host other events indoors on a concrete floor.
This removable field design helped the stadium become a popular location for major events such as the Super Bowl, college football bowl games, and international soccer matches.
GelreDome (Arnhem, Netherlands)
GelreDome is one of the pioneers in the concept of a movable pitch. Home to the Dutch football club Vitesse, the stadium was completed in 1998 with a sliding grass field. The pitch can be rolled in and out of the stadium for maintenance or to make way for concerts and other non-sporting events.
The venue’s retractable roof and pitch design enable it to host a variety of events throughout the year, making it a truly versatile stadium for both football and entertainment.
Sapporo Dome (Sapporo, Japan)
The Sapporo Dome is renowned for its revolutionary field-switching system. This stadium, located in Japan, can alternate between a football field and a baseball diamond. The football pitch is a natural grass surface that sits on a sliding platform and is moved outside the dome whe nternational events, including the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, USA)
Allegiant Stadium, home to the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) football team, features a unique removable natural grass field. Unlike Tottenham’s retractable pitch, Allegiant Stadium’s grass field is grown outdoors and then rolled into the stadium on a giant tray for NFL games.
The venue’s design allows the grass to thrive under natural sunlight while the stadium’s interior remains climate-controlled for other events. The grass pitch is removed for concerts, and non-football events, revealing a synthetic surface underneath.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, England)
Opened in 2019, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one of the most advanced arenas in the world. It features a fully retractable grass pitch designed for football (soccer), which can slide away to reveal an artificial turf underneath for NFL games, concerts, and other events. The entire process takes about 25 minutes, enabling the stadium to switch seamlessly between sports.
The two-layer pitch system ensures that the grass surface is pristine for football matches, while the artificial layer can handle the wear and tear of heavy non-football activities. This design makes Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a true example of modern engineering.
Santiago Bernabeu Stadium (Madrid, Spain)
Real Madrid’s removable pitch at the new Santiago Bernabéu stadium is one of the greatest achievements of modern sports engineering. This innovative natural pitch is designed to be moved through an intricate system of tunnels under the stadium, keeping it in optimal conditions for maintenance. It can be moved and stored in a special area where there is natural lighting and ventilation, ensuring that the grass stays in perfect condition.
This technology allows the Santiago Bernabéu to be transformed into a multifunctional arena, hosting concerts, major sporting events, and other activities without damaging the pitch. This movable field not only protects the quality of the grass for football matches, but also increases the flexibility of the stadium, making it one of the most advanced in the world.
The Future of Multi-Purpose Stadiums
The development of removable pitch technology has transformed the way stadiums are used, making it possible to host a wide range of events without compromising the quality of the playing surface. As more stadiums around the world adopt this technology, we can expect to see even greater innovations that will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in modern sports venues.
