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Allahabad univ’s astroturf ground certified fit for int’l hockey matches
Allahabad University's astroturf hockey ground in Uttar Pradesh has been declared fit to host international-level field hockey matches. The ground has met the standards of Global Category Class II, making it suitable for national and international matches. The astroturf was tested on various parameters, including ball pressure, bouncing ability, and water holding capacity. The certificate issued by the International Hockey Federation is valid until June 2026. The ground has a seating capacity of 1,000 spectators.
In a first for an educational institution in Uttar Pradesh, Allahabad University (AU)’s astroturf hockey ground—the first to be constructed under the Prayagraj Smart City Mission—on its science faculty campus has been declared fit to host field hockey matches of international level, officials said.
The astroturf hockey ground has met the standards of Global Category Class II, a category mandatory for organising national and international level matches, say Prayagraj Smart City Ltd officials in the know of things.
“The Federation Internationale de Hockey (International Hockey Federation), (FIH) team, after inspecting the ground and testing the same against several parameters on June 1, 2023, declared that the astroturf is in compliance with the international standards and has been approved for conducting national and international matches after meeting all the requisite norms,” said mission manager of the Prayagraj Smart City Project Sanjeev Kumar Sinha.
Officials shared that FIH team assessed the field on a total of nine points including the ability of the turf to withstand the pressure of the ball, the bouncing ability of the ball and the racing ability of the turf etc. The turf was also tested on the balance and friction of the player’s feet and the ability of the turf to hold water.
The sprinkler system and ground have too been tested and the water harvesting facility in the ground has been found to be as per the standards. The certificate issued to the ground by FIH bearing signature of FIH president Tayyab Ikram, is valid till June 1, 2026. The astroturf has been brought from New Zealand and costs around ₹5.37 crore.
To ensure the ground’s proper upkeep, training has also been imparted to the ground staff. For the safety of the astroturf, officials have banned certain items from being brought inside the fence of the turf area like cigarettes chewing gum and sticky substances, fireworks and inflammable materials.
The length of the field is 91.44- metre and the width is 55-metre. The goalpost has been made 3.66-metre wide and 2.14-metre high. About 1,000 spectators will be able to sit in all four directions and watch a match.
The importance of the AU astroturf hockey ground being declared to host international level matches can be gauged by the fact that though Uttar Pradesh today boasts of 15 astroturf hockey grounds, only a handful are certified to hold matches between teams of different countries.
