World Cup 2018: Final in Russia will be played on a plastic pitch for the first time
Cumbria-based SIS Pitches laid the brand new hybrid surface
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THE World Cup final in Russia will be played on a part plastic pitch for the first time.
Cumbria-based SIS Pitches laid the brand new hybrid surface at the Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium - venue for the 2018 final - earlier this month.
It took eight days to install and the new grass innovation known as SISGRASS consists of 95 per cent natural turf reinforced with plastic.
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SIS Pitches CEO and Irish owner George Mullan said: "It's the first time a World Cup final has been played on anything but all-natural grass and we're honoured to have been chosen to install it.
"We have come so far to get this system to the pinnacle of world sport. The quality of SISGrass will ensure that the pitches are resilient in all conditions.
"I'm sure the 2018 World Cup final is one that we all remember."
Championship outfit Derby County installed a SISGrass Pitch at the iPro Stadium at the start of the season.
Chelsea followed suit at their Cobham training ground while England's national football centre at St George's Park also has a training pitch made up of the latest pitch technology.
SISAir has also been installed and that manages soil moisture and removes excess water from the surface via a network of under pitch pipes that can blow hot or cold air depending on the climate requirements.
SISAir, SIS Eastern European managing director Ilyas Kobal said: "We are confident that the pitches constructed by SIS Pitches for the World Cup in 2018 will exceed the expectations of both the players and officials.
SIS Pitches has also been installed at numerous stadiums across Europe this year including the Ta'Qali National Stadium in Malta, Besiktas' home ground, the Vodafone Arena in Turkey, Olympiakos' Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Greece and the Sammy Ofer Stadium in Israel.
