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Turf stitching work begins for World Cup U-20 venues
A grass stitching machine recommended by world soccer body FIFA arrived in Denpasar, Bali, on Saturday for turf improvement work at the six stadiums chosen to host the FIFA World Cup U-20 matches in the country in May and June.
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A grass stitching machine arrives at I Wayan Dipta Stadium in Denpasar, Bali, on March 18, 2023. The stadium is one of the six venues that will host the FIFA World Cup U-20 matches in May and June. (Courtesy of/Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI))
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
A grass stitching machine recommended by world soccer body FIFA arrived in Denpasar, Bali, on Saturday for turf improvement work at the six stadiums chosen to host the FIFA World Cup U-20 matches in the country in May and June.
Erick Thohir, the chairman of the tournament’s organizing committee, said all the soccer pitches would meet the standard set by the soccer body after the grass stitching work.
"The playing field stitching machine was recommended by FIFA to improve the quality of the soccer fields,” said Erick, who is also the state-owned enterprises minister, on Saturday.
Field stitching binds natural and synthetic grass to modify the density of turf, and the work will last about a week in each soccer field. The machine, provided by the United Kingdom’s SISGrass, will begin the work at I Wayan Dipta Stadium in Denpasar and will then move to Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium in Surabaya; Geloba Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta; Manahan Stadium in Surakarta, Central Java; Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung; and, finally, Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium in Palembang, South Sumatra.
Erick estimated that the turf improvement work would be complete early in May, in time for the tournament.
The FIFA World Cup U-20 finals will run from May 20 to June 11. The tournament will feature 24 finalists from all confederations, including five-time winner Brazil. Defending champion Ukraine failed to qualify, while Indonesia makes it to the finals as the host.
Indonesia qualified for the tournament for the first time in 1979 in Japan, losing all its three group matches, including to eventual champion Argentina.
