b'PITCH PERFECTUEFA SHARES ITS ADVICE AND TOP THREE OBJECTIVES FOR HIGH QUALITY GRASS FIELDS.BY: MARCEL BRUINSF ew will have escaped the fact that the UEFA Euro 2020 soccer tournament will take place in the summer of 2021, after it was postponed last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament, still going by the name of UEFA Euro 2020, will begin on the 11th of June and finish a month later.Twenty-four nations will compete against each other, and theEUROPEAN SEED (ES): FROM OUR SIDE IN THE SEED matches will take place in 12 stadiums all across Europe. PortugalSECTOR, WERE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN KNOWING will seek to defend its crown but will face stiff competition from aWHICH SPECIES OF GRASS ARE BEST FOR A GOOD wide-open field, including World Cup champions, France. SOCCER PITCH. WHICH GRASS SPECIES DOES UEFA The tournament is organised by UEFA, the Union ofPREFER IN ITS FIELDS?European Football Associations, which is the governing bodyUEFA:We do not recommend a particular type of grass seed, due of European football, and the umbrella organisation of its 55to a number of different factors. We use independent agronomy member associations. In all kinds of ways, UEFA seeks to sup- experts who can make recommendations, based on best prac-port its members associations, and their stadiums, for exam- tices, which can include a particular species of grass. However, ple with the UEFA Guide to Quality Stadiums, or withthis is always a suggestion and done on a case-by-case basis, the UEFA Pitch Quality Guidelines - Natural turfas we host matches across the continent of Europe, across 55 pitch management. European Seed sat downmember associations. For example, due to climatic reasons, the with UEFA for their take on how besttype of grass seed used in Cyprus, may vary greatly from the to maintain a good grass pitch. type that is used in Norway. Source: UEFA10IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'