Chances are you’ve noticed numerous times while watching a soccer game on TV or in the Stadium that they actually wet the fields consistently!
I’ve noticed the same thing too, that’s why I’ve decided to make in-depth research to understand why they actually do so …
… In this article, I share what I’ve learnt!
Why do they wet soccer fields prior to the game?
The simplest explanation for why they wet fields before games is that a wetter, slicker pitch means a faster-moving ball and more exciting game!
This isn’t unlike the purpose of a Zamboni in ice hockey. Another reason that fields are best played on mildly wet fields is that is makes the surface consistent.
On any surface—from public parks to professional grounds—some parts of the field are slipperier and more play-worthy than others.
By watering the field, these anomalies are taken care of before a match can be wrongfully altered. This also helps prevent lower body bruises and injuries in matches.
It is best to wet a field 24 to 48 hours before a match. Typically, fields should not be watered for more than a couple hours, as it’s important to make sure that a pitch isn’t oversaturated before play.
Another short watering will take place before players take the field. Obviously, a number of factors play into when, how long, and how much water should be used, including surface type and/or local rainfall.
Why soccer field get watered at half time?
While the field should remain wet by halftime of a match, there are bound to be some dry spots, and even the damp spots won’t be as slick as they were before the match.
Just as a hockey Zamboni will take care of the rink between periods, the field must be redampened between halves.
If a team choses to rewet its pitch, it needs to do so quickly, as halftime only lasts around 15 minutes. Even that time is an overestimate, as both ends of the half are occupied by players leaving and returning to the field of play.
Of course, a team may take gamesmanship into account when deciding if/how long to wet the field. If tied or trailing at the break, a home side may choose to add more water to the pitch.
If in a favorable position and looking to more defensive in a half, a club may instruct its grounds staff to keep a field dry to suppress offense.
As is above, weather and other outside factors also play a role into these decisions.
Best Cleats for wet grass …
When playing on wet grass, it’s important to find a shoe that can dig deep into the soft surface. This is so a player will not slide around; finding footing is essential to have control over one’s body or the ball.
At the same time, these cleats will also transfer a lot of energy and stress to the player’s foot, so it’s important to only use it if the pitch is truly damp or else there is a risk for injuries.
One of the best soft/wet ground cleats is the Adidas Predator (Check it Here on Amazon).
These kicks are imported, fully leather, and have a synthetic sole. The shaft is 6-12 inches from the arch, and there is an insole for the comfort of the wearer.
Do they do so also for turf?
One of the major purposes behind watering an artificial turf surfaces is that it cools the field on a hot day. Turf attracts heat, and as a result, the playing area is hotter than the general air on a given day.
Turf also absorbs water better than natural grass, meaning that there is less of a risk of oversaturation when dealing with an artificial surface.
If anything, more water is also needed when dealing with varieties of turf, as there is less friction than on grass.
This is so injuries and/or carpet-like burns can be more easily avoided. That being said, this really applies only when a match is imminent, because unlike natural pitches, artificial turf is not something that must be kept physically alive by water.
The biggest downside to a wet artificial surface is that it more easily leads to the sand and/or rubber particles right below the pitch making contact with players.
While this isn’t a huge deal to most athletes, the texture of these particles are mildly bothersome to some.
In addition, while it is possible to play on wet turf, wet artificial surfaces can be very slippery and decrease the quality of play.
How much water does a soccer field need?
Back to natural grass for the time being. While the surface so many soccer matches take place on gets taken for granted, it must be remembered that it doesn’t differ from regular live grass. In order to look good and to survive, the surface needs water.
According to Cornell University, the recommended amount of water ranges from “1 inches to as much as 2 inches of water per week during the growing season. A rain gauge is a very inexpensive management tool that can be used to monitor rainfall. If rainfall provides ½” you will have to provide the additional amount of water depending on your soil and grass and evapotranspiration amount or ET.”
Of course, this differs from the care a pitch needs on matchday. Additional water for the sake of quality of play is recommended.
How often should a soccer field get watered?
Once again, this figure depends on a number of factors including weather, number of matches, or just general foot traffic.
But the general guidelines are as follows, according to Cornell: “Deep and infrequent watering, once or twice a week, is preferred unless you are on sand that needs more frequent irrigation. Another time when more frequent watering will be necessary is at the time of establishment. At this time it will be critical to keep the seedbed moist to ensure germination and may require daily watering, even several times a day.”
Overall, there is no magic bullet for how frequently a pitch should be watered, however, the ballpark figure stands as around one or two times weekly.
Tactics that work better on wet grass
Wet grass can mean two different things. Either the surface is just slick, or it is absolutely drenched, often with puddles. Depending on how wet a field is, a team’s tactics will definitely be considered.
Simply having moist grass should lead to more aggressive and offensive tactics. The ground won’t be stiffer, so it’s vital to take advantage of the lively conditions. Passes and crosses will travel farther and faster, so a side can catch the defense off guard if it takes proper execution. Players must be mindful of pitch conditions at all times.
While a slick field may favor the attack, there some strategies a defense can utilize as well. Traps and presses can work under these circumstances, as giveaways are easier to commit with a wet field. It’s important to turn defense into offense quickly in order to mount an effective counterattack.
Now if the pitch is inundated with heavy water accumulation, that changes things further. When that happens, players can expect the pitch to slow considerably and inconsistently, even more so than an overly dry field.
Teams should still rely on an aerial attack, while making sure to play in a more direct form. Keeping things simple and focusing on fundamentals are big when the weather gets challenging, because even the most skilled players won’t be at 100 percent in wet conditions.
Tactics that work better on dry grass
It’s better to be more conservative when the field is dry. Passes won’t travel quite as far, but at the same time, teams will be less mistake prone.
Short, high-percentage passes are best in these situations. Think Barcelona or the Spanish National team in the early 2010s with tiki taka.
If there is a time to play conservatively or more defensive, this is it. The best attackers won’t have any intangible factors keeping them from optimizing their entire arsenal, so a defending team must be able to hold off any threats on their own.
On the flip side, when the weather is good, it means that teams have no excuses not to execute their base identities.
A more attack-heavy team should have no problems going to their bread-and-butter options in favorable conditions. Likewise, a more defensive side should also stick to what they do base.
Also, because the pitch is more likely to be dry later in matches and halves than earlier, it’s important that a team is physically fit enough to play through dryer and slower conditions, even when players are more likely to be tired.
Overall, just like many aspects in soccer, there is no set way to play a dry surface, but sticking with an identity, backing off of defensive pressure and keeping fit throughout matches are the best things a team can do.
What systems are used to water the field?
Irrigation systems come in many different forms. Sometimes fans won’t even see the watering take place if the sprinklers are underground.
Irrigation is very sophisticated. The same systems that professional clubs use are also common among private households, albeit at a smaller scale. These systems can be controlled by a phone or tablet, and can even be set to start and finish sprinkling at a given time or day.
Stadiums have a central water source of which they extract water from. Unlike small clubs or private individuals, big clubs are likely to have sole usage rights to a singular supply of water; they won’t be pulling the municipal supplies for their own usage.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that allw what we’ve discussed in this article is totally different from other sports like basketball for example where the field should rather be dry … You can learn more about the main differences between soccer and basketball!