Premier League and STRI Group document benchmark for pitch quality

The Premier League, widely considered the world’s most competitive football league, understandably put the playing surface at the heart of everything they do. The recently launched Premier League Pitch Standards Framework is a resource that documents the requirements of establishing and maintaining an elite surface, that performs to the highest standards and keeps players safe.

Serving as a reference for stakeholders involved in pitch management, club management and league organisers, it outlines the Premier League’s rules and expectations. It’s packed with guidance on everything from pitch construction profiles, drainage and irrigation to hosting concerts and managing pitches in winter weather, alongside a raft of informative case studies.

This is the first official document of its kind published by the Premier League and has been a truly collaborative effort – a key factor in its depth and quality. Authored by highly experienced consultants at STRI Group, the process involved consultation with senior grounds people from all Premier League clubs and the Grounds Management Association.

Adam Kaliniecki, Football Operations Manager for the Premier League, commented, “This is a fantastic document which reflects the hard work and professionalism of grounds teams in the Premier League who work tirelessly to ensure our pitches are the best in the world.

“The expertise and knowledge of the consultants from STRI was invaluable in leading the project. The data they gathered and interpreted was a vital part of the process, and the ongoing collaboration with grounds teams resulted in a resource that effectively benchmarks best practice in the industry.”

The document is available online here: https://www.premierleague.com/about/publications