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Notts Sport Unveils CocoTurf Cricket

November 21, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Notts Sport Unveils CocoTurf Cricket: Notts Sport, one of the UK’s most established innovators in sports and play surfacing, has announced the launch of CocoTurf Cricket, the world’s first 100% natural, plastic-free artificial cricket surface. Designed from the ground up using natural materials, CocoTurf Cricket represents a major step forward in sustainable facility development for […]

SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA

November 21, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA: Preparations ahead of the next World Cup are in full swing, with less than a year until the tournament commences on June 11, 2026. The first to be hosted across three nations, 48 teams from six confederations will travel across North and Central America over the course of a month, […]

Notts Sport Unveils CocoTurf Cricket

November 21, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA

November 21, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Notts Sport Unveils CocoTurf Cricket

November 21, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Notts Sport Unveils CocoTurf Cricket: Notts Sport, one of the UK’s most established innovators in sports and play surfacing, has announced the launch of CocoTurf Cricket, the world’s first 100% natural, plastic-free artificial cricket surface. Designed from the ground up using natural materials, CocoTurf Cricket represents a major step forward in sustainable facility development for cricket at all levels of the game.

CocoTurf Cricket builds on Notts Sport’s pioneering CocoTurf® technology and has been specifically re-engineered to meet the demands of cricket performance. The surface is constructed entirely from natural coconut fibres, jute backing, and certified natural latex, creating a high-performance wicket system with zero plastics, zero microplastics, and zero PFAS. This makes it the first artificial cricket surface of its kind worldwide and a significant milestone in reducing environmental impact in sport.

Notts Sport Unveils CocoTurf Cricket

The first installation of CocoTurf Cricket has already taken place at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, providing a real-world example of how elite facilities are beginning to embrace natural, plastic-free alternatives. The surface has undergone full cricket performance testing, including a Ball Pitch Impact Assessment, which confirmed the system’s consistent bounce, realistic pace and long-term durability comparable to professionally prepared non-turf wickets. An ECB application is currently in process, marking an important step toward official recognition and future adoption by clubs, schools, county boards and national programmes.

CocoTurf Cricket has been developed to support the growing need for environmentally responsible solutions within the sport. With concerns increasing around microplastic shedding, PFAS contamination and the environmental cost of synthetic materials, CocoTurf Cricket offers a future-proofed alternative that aligns with the sport’s sustainability objectives. The system is Oeko-Tex certified, 100% recyclable, features a dense pile weight of 1,300 g/m², and achieves an exceptional water infiltration rate of 15,166 mm/hr, providing reliable use throughout the year.

Each square metre of CocoTurf Cricket uses fibres from 6.5 coconuts, meaning approximately 585 coconuts contribute to a single-lane match facility. This approach transforms natural by-products into high-performance surfacing technology and reduces dependence on petrochemical-based materials. The product is protected under International Patent Application No. PCT/GB2024/050422 (pending).

Duncan Bennett, CEO of Notts Sport, said:

“CocoTurf Cricket is a genuine breakthrough for cricket facilities. For the first time, the sport has access to an artificial surface that performs like a professionally prepared pitch but is made entirely from natural materials. This is a major step toward eliminating plastics from non-turf systems and creating facilities that protect both players and the environment.”

Adam Walker, Technical Manager at Notts Sport, added:

“We engineered CocoTurf Cricket with players in mind, but with absolute commitment to sustainability. This surface shows that you no longer have to choose between performance and environmental responsibility — you can have both.”

With more than 40 years of experience delivering cricket surfaces across the UK and worldwide, Notts Sport continues to lead innovation in the industry, offering solutions that support the future of the game.

For more information, visit: www.cocoturf.co.uk/cricket-surfacing

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SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA

November 21, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA: Preparations ahead of the next World Cup are in full swing, with less than a year until the tournament commences on June 11, 2026.

The first to be hosted across three nations, 48 teams from six confederations will travel across North and Central America over the course of a month, visiting 16 venues to decide the winner. It’s arguably the most logistically complex football tournament ever held, laying the foundations for a similarly ambitious centenary edition in 2030.

SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA

Estadio BBVA will be one of three Mexican stadiums used in 2026. Having opened in 2015 as the new home to Liga MX team CF Monterrey, the ground and much of its surrounding infrastructure already met FIFA guidelines. Recognising the need for playing surface improvements, however, the management team sought a full refit of the pitch in early 2025 to prepare it for the crucial months ahead.

This is where SIS Pitches entered the frame.

Elite in 10 weeks

The client brief was simple: deliver a pitch fit for World Cup standards and specification, playable within 10 weeks.

This short window was particularly challenging given the changes agreed through early consultation. Estadio BBVA’s old playing surface was to be fully excavated to make way for a series of advanced drainage and aeration systems developed by SIS. Once installed, the top layer would then be fitted with a hard-wearing stitched hybrid pitch.

Working together, these components not only promote ideal root zone growth conditions but also allow stadiums to manage a packed calendar of fixtures and events without impacting the quality of their playing surface. This was especially important for Estadio BBVA, with a packed summer of events and a full domestic football season planned before and after the World Cup.

The planning and process

As with any large project of this kind, the key to successful delivery lies in good preparation.

SIS and Estadio BBVA agreed work would commence in May 2025, once CF Monterrey’s season concluded. From the early conversations held in January, this gave the SIS team only a few months to plan, design and procure everything needed to deliver the new pitch in time.

Much like the ’26 World Cup, the project demanded solid logistics management. Everything had to be ready to go in May – equipment, materials and teams – if the 10-week turnaround was to remain achievable. In preparation, SIS had two containers shipped from Europe to Mexico in advance of work commencing.

Excavation took just over two weeks. Once the area had been fully cleared down to the formation level, trenches were dug for irrigation pipework to be laid. The sand bed was then added, with gravel and a root bed on top, and finished with fresh natural turf, grown 100km away in the turf farm chosen by the client and FIFA.

Among the world’s most advanced playing surface

Estadio BBVA represents an important step forward for SIS, as the first major stadium to install three of our solutions at a single project.

The first was a new version of SIS Air – a turf aeration and rainwater management system designed to promote stronger, healthier grass. For Monterrey, the system was upgraded with enhanced moisture and temperature sensors, allowing the site team to adapt to local conditions in Mexico, where natural grass typically struggles to thrive.

This upgrade was designed to work alongside SIS Aqua, an advanced pitch irrigation system with 35 pop-up units that can be individually controlled. This creates an even distribution of water across the pitch, delivering a uniform playing surface.

Finally – and key to meeting the 10-week turnaround – the stadium was fitted with SIS Hybrid. The installation of hybrid grass can be completed in as little as three days using SIS Pitches’ leading X-Gen machines, which were launched globally in 2025.

All set for the coupe du monde

SIS’s planning and logistics has paid off, with the stadium now set for one of the world’s most-watched sporting events.

Delivery was completed by 24 July, meeting the 10-week deadline. The result is an elite-level football pitch now capable of performing to the highest standards all year round, supported by a suite of tools that optimise play regardless of local conditions.

Since completion, SIS has been on site to hand over to the Estadio BBVA site team, advising on regular maintenance and scheduling. Initial feedback has been positive.

“Transforming Estadio BBVA into a World Cup-ready venue in just 10 weeks was a milestone for SIS. By integrating SIS Air, SIS Aqua and our turf, we’ve delivered a surface that meets the highest standards of play and durability. It’s a proud moment – not just for our team, but for what this project represents in terms of innovation and collaboration.”

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Notts Sport Unveils CocoTurf Cricket

SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA

Notts Sport Unveils CocoTurf Cricket

SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Notts Sport Unveils CocoTurf Cricket

SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA

SIS Pitches prepares Estadio BBVA: Preparations ahead of the next World Cup are in full swing, with less than a year until the tournament commences on June 11, 2026.

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