From the Idea to the Finished Field – How Long Sports Field Construction Takes

It typically takes about two to three years for all preliminary discussions, pre-planning, legal foundations, building applications, financing, etc., to be completed, according to expert experience. The actual construction time for an artificial turf field then only takes about three months. In Germany, construction takes place between April and November due to weather conditions, ensuring the ground is frost-free and work can proceed quickly. First, however, we would like to provide an overview of the key laws, regulations, and requirements associated with sports field construction.

DIN 18035 Regulates Sports Field Construction and Planning

The main requirements for the planning and construction of sports facilities are governed by DIN 18035, Parts 1-7. There are numerous other laws, regulations, and requirements that must be known and applied:

• Building Code (BauGB),
• Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG),
• Sports Facility Noise Protection Ordinance 18. BImSchGV,
• Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG),
• Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance (BBodSchV),
• Environmental Impact Assessment Act (UVPG),
• State Building Codes (LBauO),
• Assembly Venue Ordinance (VStättV),
• Water Resources Act (WHG),
• Competition Rules of Sports Associations,
• Commercial Waste Ordinance (GewAbfV),
• Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkV)

Depending on the construction project, additional laws, regulations, and requirements may apply. Generally, sports fields are subject to the approval requirements of the respective state building code. The requirements for artificial turf are generally regulated at the European level in DIN EN 15330-1 and are checked by quality assurance programs such as DIN Certco or RAL. To avoid losing track in this "jungle of laws and regulations," it is advisable to involve an experienced expert in every sports field construction project. Ideally, this should be done in the early design and financing phase to realistically estimate project costs – and follow-up costs – from the outset.

Who Provides Competent Help in Planning and Building a Sports Facility?

Experts in sports field and landscape construction include sports facility planners and landscape architects specializing in sports field construction. They assist in the planning and project design of the new sports facility. For construction execution and later maintenance, sports field construction companies from the garden and landscape construction sector are suitable. While manufacturers of sports field surfaces can provide realistic product prices, they rarely have the necessary expertise in construction law. If the new sports facility is to be used for officially recognized competitions and tournaments, a knowledgeable expert is even more important: They are familiar with the essential regulations of all international sports associations such as FIFA, UEFA, IAAF, etc.

With a Feasibility Study on the Safe Side

To ensure from the start that the future sports field meets your requirements and wishes, you can have a feasibility study prepared by an expert. Depending on the project, such a project analysis should consider the following points:

• Assessment of the current condition of the property
• Needs analysis of the client
• Construction cost estimation
• Calculation of follow-up costs
• Technical examination of various construction methods and products that meet the client's requirements
• Soil investigation by a geologist (geological report)

The Geological Soil Report

Missing or inadequate soil investigations in advance can lead to immense additional costs or time delays. Therefore, the soil conditions should be clarified in advance with a corresponding report. This includes examining the composition and formation of the individual soil types, load-bearing capacity, water permeability, and frost behavior of the subsoil, groundwater level, etc. If the future sports field is to be equipped with artificial turf, for example, the subsoil must have a higher load-bearing capacity than for natural turf. If the soil report shows no restrictions for sports field construction, planning of the facility, such as an artificial turf field, can begin.

Sports Field Construction – Optimal Orientation of the Playing Field

When planning a sports facility, attention must be paid to the orientation of the playing field. The German Football Association DFB recommends aligning so-called large playing fields (standard football field) with their longitudinal axis in the north-south direction to north-west-west/south-south-east direction. The advantage: Athletes and spectators are not blinded by the sun, especially in the evening hours.

The Optimal Field Size for Football

According to FIFA and UEFA guidelines, the standard size for a football field as a large playing field is 105 × 68 m. This includes the so-called safety area and the obstacle-free zone (no barriers, ball fences, lighting masts, spectator facilities, etc.). The obstacle-free area is at least 2 m on the long sides and 4 m on the short sides. The safety zone around the playing field is (according to DIN 18035 Part 1, 2003-02) 1 m on the long sides and 2 m on the short sides. For artificial turf, the DFB recommends increasing the safety area to 1.5 m, reducing the obstacle-free area accordingly to 0.5 m or 2.5 m. The ideal total area (playing field plus "obstacle-free areas") of a football field is thus 113 x 72 m. Furthermore, the slope of the playing field and drainage play a significant role in sports field construction.

Slope and Drainage on the Sports Field

To avoid puddles from surface water, an outdoor playing field requires a surface slope. The maximum allowable slope is 1%, for cinder surfaces 0.8%. Water that has penetrated the structure is collected by a precisely calculated drainage system and directed to a flood or cistern. In artificial turf systems, drainage channels can also be used as edge enclosures for the sports turf. Standard drainage of a sports field with artificial turf is done with vertical drainage – then a large part of the sports field area is safely drained even during heavy rainfall.

Enclosures and Ball Fences Around the Field

Areas directly adjacent to the artificial turf field (such as the obstacle-free area) may consist of a different surface material but must be level. Mowing edges are the norm as enclosures for natural turf fields. Ball fences are also part of the proper planning of a sports field. They prevent balls from flying onto nearby paths or neighboring properties, potentially causing personal or property damage. The height of the ball fences depends on how far the areas to be protected are. Reference values for fence heights can be found in DIN 18035-1:2003-02: Here, a height of 6 m is specified for the short side of the sports field, and 4 m high elements for the long side. However, as mentioned, these are only reference values – the actual dimensions are determined on site.

Expert Tip: From long-standing experience, our planner prefers a 3 m wide perimeter path around the sports field, completely enclosed with a ball fence made of welded wire mesh panels. This creates a "cage" that catches most missed balls. The advantage: Balls do not have to be "fished" out of the surrounding meadows, bushes, and puddles and do not get dirty. In addition, game interruptions are shorter, and the football match is more exciting!

Floodlight Systems and Other Equipment

The most important advantage of an artificial turf field is its almost unrestricted playability, even in bad weather: Even in the cold, wet season, such an evergreen sports turf can be used around the clock with few exceptions (such as frost and snow). However, this requires a floodlight system in the winter months, which must be included in the sports field construction costs. A floodlight system with 6 masts costs between 60,000 and 80,000 euros – again depending on the respective construction project. The standard equipment of a large playing field also includes two football goals according to DIN EN 748:2013-08 and four to six marking flags. Depending on the project and needs, up to 60,000 euros can be added for fences, maintenance equipment, and equipment.

Irrigation Systems and the Right Artificial Turf System

Whether an irrigation system is necessary depends on the climate of the respective region. The construction of such irrigation systems is regulated in DIN 18035-2:2003-07. If the artificial turf field is used for field hockey games, irrigation is mandatory for the sport-functional properties of the field – the water gives the playing surface the necessary sliding properties required for fast and precise play. Irrigation is also recommended to reduce surface heat from intense sunlight on hot summer days and to reduce the general wear of the artificial turf surface. For the same reasons, artificial turf fields for other sports are also irrigated. The amount of water required for use is about 6-8 l/m² for unfilled artificial turf systems and about 3 l/m² for filled systems. Unfilled artificial turf systems are mainly used for field hockey but are also used as multifunctional playing fields. An irrigation system always depends on the chosen artificial turf system.

Expert Tip: How to Keep Sports Field Construction Costs in Check

If the construction costs of a sports field get out of control, good advice is often needed. Our expert attributes the reason for escalating sports field construction costs to amateur advice in advance, inadequate soil investigations, or lack of market and product knowledge. Clubs should also not conduct their own research on product prices on the internet, as this can lead to the project being based on unsound figures from the start and possibly doomed to failure.

Conclusion: Proper Planning of Sports Field Construction with Artificial Turf

To enjoy a new artificial turf field for as long as possible, clubs should do one thing above all: Do not forego competent advice, planning, and especially construction supervision by an experienced planner from the GaLaBau/sports facility construction sector. Equally important are solid financing, hiring reliable sports field construction companies, and suitable quality products from renowned manufacturers. Sports associations provide information on the appropriate artificial turf system and the associated maintenance costs in relevant seminars. A trade fair visit is also often helpful for an initial overview of the current product range.