After almost four months for construction, the new Polytan synthetic turf pitch at Wildparkstadion football stadium is now finished. But what’s so special about it? Polytan LigaTurf Cross GTzero is the first carbon-neutral football turf for elite and amateur sport. Karlsruher SC (KSC) is thus setting a highly visible example of environmental compatibility and sustainability.

Wildparkstadion in Karlsruhe is the centrepiece of a facility consisting of several sports and training grounds. Renovation work has been underway since November 2018 to create a football-only arena for around 35,000 spectators. A new synthetic turf pitch was installed in an initial construction phase from June to October 2020. “With the KSC fan investment, our fans have made this first step possible,” says Michael Becker, thanking around 1,800 supporters. The pitch will be used by teams from the KSC GRENKE academy.

Garden designers and landscapers Becker GmbH from Zuzenhausen were in charge of pitch construction. The special feature of this synthetic turf is that its fibres are made from renewable raw materials. The new LigaTurf Cross GTzero from Polytan has been installed – the world’s first carbon-neutral synthetic turf for football, with filaments consisting of 80% bio-based fibre raw material (PE). LigaTurf Cross GTzero is suitable for professional training facilities, amateur and professional clubs, sports colleges and municipal sports facilities.

The carbon-neutral synthetic turf at the Wildpark location is a flagship project for the entire Land, as it is the first of its kind in Baden-Württemberg. In addition, the pitch has been filled with quartz sand, so there is absolutely no microplastic from rubber granulate infill.