How LED grow lights keep the pitch at Johan Cruijff ArenA in top condition

The Johan Cruijff ArenA’s grounds team is responsible for the stadium’s pitch. This team, consisting of four grounds managers, works day in and day out to create an optimal playing surface for every match. Just like the players, they build up to matchday—the highlight of their work. Roy shares: “The quality of the pitch has to be top-notch for matches. Those are always great days with the team because that’s what you work towards. The matches—that’s what it’s all about.”

Growing a high-quality pitch is more complex than you might think. Only under ideal conditions can an optimal playing surface be achieved. Roy explains: “Grass needs light, but also the right temperature, nutrients, and water. Everything must be in the right balance, at the right time, and perfectly aligned. Light is one of the most crucial factors, but also the biggest challenge at Johan Cruijff ArenA. The stadium is quite enclosed, allowing little natural light inside—which isn’t ideal for grass growth. We have a retractable roof, which is great, but we prefer to keep it open as much as possible to let in extra daylight. The grass here needs far more light than it naturally receives.”

And that’s where SGL (Stadium Grow Lighting) comes in. SGL helps ground teams worldwide create the highest quality pitch, not just with grow lights but also with data collection tools, an integrated dashboard, (sustainable) disease management products, and advice from leading agronomists—experts in grass growth. These agronomists use advanced growth models to provide recommendations on field treatments and the steps the grounds team should take to achieve the best results.

The Johan Cruijff ArenA’s grounds team has access to 11 sustainable LED grow lights, 6 data-collecting TurfPods, and the data dashboard ‘TurfBase.’ These tools support Roy and his team in their daily work. “The collaboration with SGL is fantastic! The biggest challenge here is the climate, and SGL helps us create the ideal growth conditions for the best quality grass.”

Two years ago, Johan Cruijff ArenA transitioned from HPS to LED grow lights. The biggest advantage of LED is that light output and heat can be controlled separately, giving grounds managers greater control over the growth environment and allowing them to create the optimal conditions for high-quality grass growth—while also being much more energy-efficient. With HPS lights, extra heat was always applied, whereas with LED, heat can be switched on only when the temperature drops below 9°C. As long as temperatures remain above this level, no extra heat is needed, which saves energy and benefits the grass.

The pink colour of the LED grow lights results from SGL’s specially designed light spectrum, which is optimised for grass growth and quality. This pink hue is a combination of two colours: red and blue. Red influences plant growth, while blue contributes to strong root development. This combination ensures the best grass quality in the most efficient and sustainable way possible.

Sustainability plays a major role at Johan Cruijff ArenA, and the grounds team is continuously working on more sustainable solutions. The switch from HPS to LED grow lights, combined with a more efficient light spectrum, was an important step in this direction. This transition not only contributes to a high-quality pitch but also supports Johan Cruijff ArenA’s Net Positive sustainability goals.

There’s a lot more behind that green pitch than meets the eye! Week after week, Roy and his team deliver top performance by maintaining a world-class playing surface, supported by SGL’s products and expertise. By combining the right technology with craftsmanship and dedication, both parties work together to achieve the highest grass quality and a sustainable future.

In our case studies, we take a deep-dive in the situation of customers who have achieved their goals by LED grow lighting technology. So, do you want to read more in-depth information about pitch management at the Johan Cruijff ArenA? Read our case study!