LA is the next Olympic Games on Poligras
Courtesy of FIH/World Sport Pics
AstroTurf, Polytan & the Poligras’ turf transformation from Montreal in 1976 to Los Angeles in 2028…
Poligras hockey turf, which is manufactured and installed by Polytan in Germany and Australia, and by AstroTurf in the USA, has been chosen as the turf for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
AstroTurf, the original turf made in the U.S.A., created the very first Olympic synthetic field hockey surface for Montreal 1976. So, it is fitting that, half a century after starting the hockey turf revolution, AstroTurf will have the honor of providing the Poligras turf for the LA Games.
It has been quite a journey since the first nylon surface in Montreal. Sport Group brands, AstroTurf, Polytan and Poligras have been selected for 12 Olympic Games since 1976 and have constantly innovated alongside the sport.
Every improvement in turf was embraced by the players who saw new opportunities for skills – from tomahawks to 3D skills to aerial hockey. Each step forward in turf technology unlocked more and more potential for hockey.
We look back at the symbiotic developments of the game and its surface since Turf Day One.
“Each step forward in turf technology unlocked more and more potential for hockey.”
1976: The First Turf
At 10am on 18th July, 1976 the whistle blew in the opening match of the Montreal Olympics between India against Argentina. This whistle rang out around the hockey world. It was Turf-Day-One.
This first turf was made by AstroTurf in the USA, using nylon fibers. It rained during the Montreal Olympics and the turf played much better. The water reduced the friction and allowed the ball to move more fluidly and faster. It also reduced the ball bounce, making stopping the ball easier and therefore the game safer, more dynamic and more fun. And so, hockey’s wet turfs were accidentally born.
Courtesy of FIH
Montreal 1976 to Seoul 1988: The turf transformation gains pace
Together, AstroTurf, with its three Olympic appearances (Montreal 1976, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996) and Poligras supplied by Polytan with its debut at Moscow 1980 (along with the women’s hockey tournament won by Zimbabwe) and Seoul 1988, made their mark on the modern game. These first Olympic turfs set the pace and gathered the momentum for the explosion of innovation in the 2000s.
Meanwhile hockey did the same as players transitioned from grass to turf. Seoul 1988 on Poligras, saw Australia’s HockeyRoos launch an astounding 12-year period of dominance during which they secured three Olympic golds (Seoul 1988, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000). The HockeyRoos were perhaps the first team to embrace the potential of ‘turf’ hockey.
Sydney 2000 and the hockey skills revolution
The turn of the millennium brought a wave of change by Poligras. The colour transformation began with the introduction of the ochre hues of the Sydney 2000 Games, and the performance revolution began with the introduction of polyethylene turfs in the early 2000s.
This new turf technology bought a revolution in playability, allowing for faster, more precise and more dynamic play, known as the ‘skills revolution’ and exemplified by players such as Jamie DWYER (AUS), Teun de NOOIJER (NED) and the legendary Luciana AYMAR (ARG).
Courtesy of FIH
Poligras also supplied hockey with its field of play at Beijing 2008, which saw the dominant German men’s team and the Netherlands’ women’s team win gold, along with a surprise silver medal for China, the emerging host nation’s women’s team.
London 2012 – blue turf is born
For London 2012, the Polytan team introduced the iconic Poligras blue turf, as the sport’s first turf-natives took centre stage. The brilliant blue surface improved visibility making the sport more spectator-friendly than ever before for the 600,000 spectators that flocked to the Riverbank Arena. Powerhouse Germany maintained their winning streak in the men’s tournament and the Netherlands claimed the top spot in the women’s.
Courtesy of FIH
Texturized turf takes hold in Rio
The next significant turf development came in time for Rio 2016 with the introduction of texturized turf technology.
This innovation characterised by a significant change in fibre shape, improved ball roll and reduced water evaporation resulted in a more fluid game. Hockey became faster and more creative, but a significant stride in environmental performance was also at play.
With the new turf technology boasting improved water retention capabilities, the Poligras turf at Rio 2016 required up to 50% less water than previous Games and saw some incredible action.
The tournament produced unexpected golds for Great Britain’s women and Argentina’s men.
Courtesy of FIH/World Sport Pics
The blue turfs become greener in Tokyo
The Tokyo 2020 Games saw the unveiling of the world's first climate-positive hockey turf, made from 60% sugarcane and green energy which delivered a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions. While emissions reduced, the Belgian Men’s team were on a meteoric rise from #15 in the world to #1 with their historic gold in Tokyo.
Courtesy of FIH/World Sport Pics
Paris – the world’s first carbon zero turf saves 73 tonnes of CO2
After two years of additional R&D, the sugarcane content increased to 80% for the Paris 2024 turf and Poligras Paris GT zero marked the world’s first carbon zero turf. A single turf saves 73 tonnes of CO₂ compared to a conventional turf. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of 17.4 cars.
Play Wet / Play Dry - A watershed moment
Courtesy of FIH/World Sport Pics
The introduction of Turf Glide, a proprietary innovation that reduces friction and abrasion, allowed the Paris turf to not only meet the FIH Innovation standards for dry hockey, but also dramatically reduced the amount of water required for elite performance. The Paris Games used 22% less water than Tokyo and 63% less than London 2012.
With the Dutch again reigning supreme taking home gold in the men’s and women’s final, the level of play notched up again. As the Sydney 2000 GB captain and FIH director Jon Wyatt observed:
“The 3D skills have become commonplace. Back when I was playing, if the ball came off the surface, it was often accidental. Now, lifting the ball is a deliberate, well-practiced tactic as are the intricate ball-handling skills in close quarters.
The level of hand-eye coordination, athleticism, speed, and decision-making on display in Paris was phenomenal.”
Turf goes to great lengths to bring value to the game
Our synthetic hockey turfs have come an incredibly long way in terms of both playing and environmental performance since their first outing in 1976. From water and carbon-saving technology to color-innovation which can withstand the harsh UV of climates like Australia, they have supported hockey’s astounding evolution for half a decade.
From technology to material, there is a lot to our turfs. if you were to line up all the filaments in a single Poligras hockey turf, it would stretch out 91,000km – enough to wrap twice round the world.
2026 Hockey World Cup & LA Olympic Turf will take turf to new levels
Our R&D team are working on further innovations and improvements as we develop turfs for the 2026 Hockey World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Like the athletes it will host, there is more innovation to come and our turfs will raise the bar again on what’s possible.