Periods of prolonged hot and dry weather can leave natural grass football pitches unusually hard, bare or cracked. However, a pitch being brown or dry does not automatically make it unsafe or unplayable.
The Football Association has confirmed that there is no blanket suspension of football on dry grass pitches. Each playing surface must be assessed individually, with decisions based on its actual condition and the risk to players—not simply its appearance.
At Park Regis Junior FC, everyone has a role in helping us balance three priorities:
- Protecting the safety of our players;
- Avoiding unnecessary damage to stressed pitches; and
- Continuing training and matches wherever it is safe and practical to do so.
What should be checked?
Before any training session or match, particular attention should be given to:
- Surface hardness: Very dry ground can become extremely firm and may be unsuitable for football.
- Cracks in the ground: Look for significant openings, raised edges or movement in the soil that could cause a player to trip or turn an ankle.
- Holes and uneven areas: These may become more dangerous when the surrounding ground is hard.
- Bare and worn areas: Goalmouths, centre circles and other high-use areas need particular attention.
- Other hazards: Any part of the playing surface that could present an increased risk to players should be reported.
A dry or brown pitch may still be safe. Equally, a pitch that looks reasonably green could contain hard, cracked or uneven areas that require attention.
Advice for club officials
Club officials should work closely with our groundskeepers, schools, local authorities and other pitch providers throughout prolonged dry conditions.
Where there are concerns, club officials should:
- Arrange for the affected pitch or training area to be checked;
- Consult the groundskeeper or pitch provider;
- Consider whether use should be reduced, moved or postponed;
- Inform the relevant league, opposition club and match officials as early as possible;
- Consider whether an alternative pitch or training area is available;
- Follow the competition’s procedures when reporting a potentially unsuitable pitch; and
- Avoid unnecessary use that could cause long-term damage to an already stressed surface.
Park Regis JFC hires some of its facilities from external pitch providers. Managers, coaches and parents must not attempt to water, fill cracks, repair, spike or otherwise maintain a hired pitch themselves. Any concern must be referred to the club and the relevant pitch operator.
Early communication is essential. Identifying a possible problem several days before a fixture gives the club, league, opposition and referee more opportunity to consider an alternative arrangement and avoid unnecessary travel.
Advice for team managers and coaches
Managers and coaches should not assume that a pitch is safe simply because it has remained open.
Before training, the manager or coach should walk over the area and carry out a sensible visual inspection. Check the entire area, paying particular attention to goal mouths, the centre of the pitch and other heavily used sections.
Managers and coaches should:
- Check the training area before players begin the session;
- Report significant hardness, cracking, holes or uneven ground to the club promptly;
- Stop players entering an area that appears dangerous;
- Avoid repeatedly using badly worn or stressed sections of the pitch;
- Use an alternative training area where authorised and practical;
- Adapt the session to reduce unnecessary impact on the surface;
- Follow any restrictions imposed by the club or pitch provider; and
- Never undertake maintenance work on a hired pitch without permission.
If a problem is discovered shortly before a match, the club should be informed immediately so that the opposition, referee, league and pitch provider can be contacted where necessary.
Managers should not promise parents or opponents that a match will definitely go ahead if the pitch is under review.
Advice for players and parents
Players and parents can also help identify potential problems.
Players should:
- Report cracks, holes, raised edges or unusually hard areas to their manager or coach;
- Not begin training until the manager or coach has checked the area;
- Follow instructions if part of a pitch is taken out of use;
- Wear footwear appropriate for the surface and permitted under the Laws of the Game; and
- Tell the coach immediately if the surface feels unsafe during training or a match.
Parents should support any decision to move, modify or postpone an activity on safety grounds. These decisions may sometimes need to be made at short notice if the condition of the ground changes.
Players and parents should not enter closed areas or try to repair cracks and holes themselves.
Who decides whether a match can be played?
Where a referee has been appointed, the referee makes the final decision on whether the field of play is suitable for the match.
The referee will consider the actual condition of the surface, including:
- Whether the ground is excessively hard;
- Whether there are significant cracks, holes or uneven areas;
- Whether goal mouths or other high-wear areas present a danger; and
- Whether any other part of the pitch creates an unacceptable risk to players.
The decision should be based on player safety rather than whether the grass is green or brown.
Where concerns are already known, the referee may contact the home club in advance and should be given enough time to complete a thorough inspection. The referee will also continue to assess conditions during the game and may stop play if the surface becomes unsafe.
A club can raise concerns and seek an early inspection, but it must not pressure a referee to play a match where the referee considers the surface unsafe.
Protecting pitches for the rest of the season
Natural grass becomes dormant or severely stressed when it does not receive sufficient moisture. Unnecessary training, repeated drills in one area or unsuitable maintenance can cause damage that may remain after rain returns.
Where possible, teams should:
- Rotate the areas used for drills;
- Keep warm-ups away from vulnerable goal mouths;
- Avoid unnecessary activity on the match pitch;
- Use authorised alternative areas;
- Respect any limits placed on pitch use; and
- Leave all maintenance decisions to the groundskeeper or pitch provider.
Reducing activity on a stressed pitch now may help prevent longer closures later in the season.
Communication is vital
If a manager or coach has concerns about a Park Regis JFC pitch or training area, they should contact the club officials responsible for pitches as early as possible. Please provide:
- The pitch or training area concerned;
- The date and time it is due to be used;
- The location and nature of the problem;
- Photographs, where helpful and safe to take; and
- Details of the fixture or training session affected.
The club will then liaise with the groundskeeper, pitch provider, league, opposition and match official as appropriate.
The key message from the FA is clear: dry or brown grass does not automatically make a pitch unplayable, but every surface must be assessed carefully. Player safety must always come first.
