Question Number: 17171

Law 1- The Field 10/7/2007

RE: Adult

mike of toronto, ontario canada asks...

i was wondering if there is any rule on watering the grass befor a fifa match, or if there has to be a certain amount of moisture on the fieldbefor a game??

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If the home club mistakenly left the sprinklers on all night, the pitch may be unplayable because of safety. Games are meant to be played on a field, not in a bog where players will slip and slide with the potential for injury.

If we've had an extended drought and the local authorities say no outdoor water usage, then the field may be more like a bunch of brown straw. Deal with it. Teams in some parts of the world play on dirt, with no grass to be seen.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Mike at higher levels of The Game grounds keepers play a huge part in the match. If your side is a slow deliberate short passing side that keeps the ball on the ground and your opponent is a faster playing long ball sort your grounds keeper might want to leave the grass uncut and wet that day. It will tend to slow down the opponent. This is a good thing. Conversely if you will benefit from short dry conditions all the players and grounds keepers might want to ensure there's a very fast, dry pitch to play on.

Regards,