On his role in the dry turf process…
I've been playing hockey for 20 years and have been involved in the development of Olympic turfs in Beijing, London, Rio, Tokyo and Paris. For the past four years, I have led the sports group's dry turf efforts, working closely with his FIH.
About the Hockey 5S World Cup in Oman…
It was a great success. All the players I spoke to loved this format and it was certainly great to watch. The number of goals scored exceeds 900, which means one goal is scored every three to four minutes.
This was the first international “dry hockey” event. It was played on unirrigated 'Polygrass Paris GT Zero' grass, with players adapting their skills and, in some cases, footwear to the dry surface.
This was so successful that in the future all FIH Hockey5s events will be held on dry grass. This includes the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
Regarding the negative reputation following Oman…
From what I've seen, some of the negative comments are very uninformed and unhelpful to the development of dry hockey.
Teams from all continents participated in Oman and the event was a great success. Zander de Wijn loves the event and, having played over 100 games for the Dutch national team, he says he knows a thing or two about it.
Unfortunately there were some injuries and as always there are many factors at play. This is probably the greatest range of athlete experience and fitness I've ever seen in an elite event, and because Hockey5s was condensed and so intense, the stress on the athletes was significant. None of the players or medical staff believe that the injury was caused by the grass not being irrigated.
On the decision to host the 2026 World Cup on irrigated grass…
I had the privilege of presenting to the FIH Board of Directors during the Hockey5s World Cup in Oman. Then the FIH made the decision to irrigate the ground for the 2026 World Cup, which I think was a good decision.
There are two and a half years left until the 2026 World Cup. The new World Cup venue in Wavre, Belgium, needs to have its turf installed in October this year, so naturally Belgium needed a final decision on whether to incorporate an irrigation system into the construction.
A global test for elite international players to qualify for the 11-a-side World Cup, as only two Hockey 5 events and no 11-a-side events have ever been held on dry grass. is not being done enough.
The practical reality is that between now and the World Cup, teams will have a hard time finding suitable dry grass venues to practice on. Certified dry turf has special performance requirements, and playing Elite Dry He Hockey involves more than just using an existing water-based hockey he pitch without irrigation.
Not only dry turf, but also dry hockey…
The goal is to transition to dry hockey, not just dry turf. Both Politan and FIH have always been consistent on this point.
We are advancing Polygra lawn technology as much as possible, but it is more complex than just a lawn. For dry hockey to fully develop, it will not only require innovations in sticks, balls, goalie equipment, shoes, and clothing, but also adjustments to skills, tactics, and even the rules themselves. As a global hockey community, it will take us over two years to accomplish this.
On the grass that will be used for the 2026 World Cup…
The World Cup will be played on the latest Polygrass dry grass. It's just that the FIH chose to irrigate the grass to even out the performance and make it fair for all teams.
During the dry turf learning process, hockey players discovered how water evens out turf performance and moderates surface temperatures for player health and performance.
Regarding equalizing performance…
Uniform performance means keeping the surface the same for all participants at each stage of the game. Hockey is different from cricket, tennis and golf, where surface changes are an important part of the game's story. For over 40 years, the hockey world has always strived to create the perfect surface for everyone.
What we discovered during our two Hockey5s test events is that dry grass plays differently depending on the time of day, temperature, atmospheric humidity, and direct sunlight. This is basically because the lack of water causes the lawn to heat up, and the hotter the lawn, the softer the fibers become. This increases friction, making the turf feel heavier to the player. Water keeps the lawn's temperature consistent with the ambient temperature and generally keeps the lawn cool.
In most cases, this is fine. It probably won't be a problem if the nature of the grass changes during Saturday's club hockey. But at the World Cup, level playing field and consistency are paramount.
Consider the example of a host who plays in the evening. This is the standard. This is also the time of year when there is likely to be a lot of moisture in the air, making it easier to play on dry grass. Other teams playing during the day in hotter conditions may find the grass drier and heavier, which can increase player fatigue. This may have an unfair impact on how the tournament plays out.
Regarding dry grass and player welfare…
Water moderates the surface temperature of the lawn. In hot weather with bright sunlight, a dry lawn can get quite hot during the day when the sun is at its highest. Related to this is the increased risk of heat-related health and safety issues for athletes and officials, as is common in other sports such as tennis. Tennis sometimes postpones matches, but is hockey ready for that? This can be problematic, given the hectic schedule of matches at major international tournaments such as the World Cup and the Olympics. Suggested.
The 2026 World Cup will be held in the summer, but what will happen if the heatwave continues like last summer? Could the temperatures become dangerous for players and officials? At Amstelveen Stadium, where irrigation is already installed, it would be permissible for organizers to irrigate the grass for player safety. Will it not be allowed at the new Wavre Stadium? Similarly, teams that play games in the early morning or evening will have a significant advantage over teams that have more games scheduled during the hottest part of the day.
The only way hockey can understand this effect and determine whether the sport can tolerate the consequences is by playing on dry grass in all climates around the world. The World Cup is the pinnacle of hockey, and it's the perfect tournament to learn about this kind of impact for the first time.
On preparing for changes in the hockey world…
The transition to dry hockey will require leadership and perhaps legislation. The question is, how far is hockey going to go? Will Europe's top leagues allow (or require) premium club matches to be played on dry grass? They will be able to make that decision now.
It's also important to not lose sight of the fact that elite hockey represents less than 1% of the hockey played around the world. There are likely scenarios where the top end chooses to play with less water for a variety of reasons. But the difference (and the real savings) emerges through the lower levels as a new generation of players emerges. Over time, as new generations of players emerge who regularly play on dry surfaces, water usage at elite level will be further reduced.
About the future of dry hockey…
Taking a step back from the World Cup, there are many places around the world that have embraced dry hockey. For example, we have just installed Africa's first dry hockey turf at St Andrews School in South Africa and early reports on its performance are very positive. The St. Andrews turf is the first turf in the world to be certified in the FIH's New Dry Turf His Hockey Field Innovation category.
We also have Polyglass Paris GT Zero turf installed in Namibia, where dry hockey is a game-changer. Also, His Hockey in Auckland, New Zealand is so pleased with the performance of the Poligra Paris GT Zero turf that they will soon be building a new 2-turf facility with no irrigation.
More dry turf testing is needed around the world. In Scandinavia, where temperatures are low and rain is high, dry grass can be a good option for clubs. However, in the Western Australian heat it may not be so good. You'll notice that some grass is dry and some grass is really dry.
The good news is that our dry turf research and development has reduced friction, resulting in significantly improved performance of irrigated turf using far less water. All the feedback is that the reduced moisture Polygrass Paris GT Zero grass works incredibly well.
Our research and development focus continues to be on dry hockey. For elite hockey, the water is not yet zero, but it is trending significantly toward zero. And for us, the new turf needs to be green certified and maintain the look and feel of a traditional textured hockey surface. This provides the multidirectional movement, control, and 3D skills needed for the sport.
Poligras Paris GT Zero Turf has been a big hit and shows that hockey supports sustainability. Located in over 30 locations around the world. We are in contact with many of these venues to get feedback on wet and dry grass, all weather conditions and different levels of play. We also encourage those in the hockey world to visit Dry Grass and try it out firsthand. Only you can decide if it suits your needs and climate.
Poligras is available worldwide through Polytan in EMEA, Asia Pacific and Australia, AstroTurf in the Americas, and through our global installer network.
