A field-based analysis of artificial football pitches with different vegetal infills

This study compared the effects of artificial football surfaces incorporating different vegetal infills on players’ physical performance. It also examined how these systems differed from natural grass and from traditional third‑generation artificial turf using recycled rubber from end‑of‑life tyres. A quasi-experimental field design was conducted with 30 amateur male football players who completed a standardised battery of sprint, agility, and fatigue tests across seven surface types: five artificial turfs with vegetal infills (processed olive pits, pinecone granules, corn cob, cork cob, and wood chips), one with rubber infill, and one natural grass pitch. Performance metrics included sprint velocity, acceleration, force, repeated sprint ability, fatigue countermovement jump, and change of direction time. All artificial turf systems complied with the FIFA Quality Programme for Football Turf and were verified using FIFA‑standardised mechanical test procedures for surface–player interaction. Mechanical properties were assessed at five locations per field using standardised test methods, including shock absorption, deformation, energy return, and rotational resistance. Sprint performance was broadly comparable across all surfaces, with players achieving similar maximal sprint velocities regardless of infill type or reference surface (natural grass or ELT). Wood chip infill was linked to lower force production and slower sprint times. No single vegetal infill outperformed others across all variables, highlighting the need for individual evaluation. These findings indicate that some vegetal infills may provide performance characteristics comparable to existing systems, although their suitability for wider implementation will depend on further long‑term, environmental, and context‑specific evaluations.