It's Back To Grass For Jalan Besar

Stadium to undergo returfing works in August after AFC bans artificial fields

- Deepanraj Ganesan

The Jalan Besar Stadium's artificial turf will be removed to make way for a natural grass surface to meet the latest requirements set out by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The Straits Times understands that work to returf the pitch is scheduled to commence in August and set to be completed by January 2026.

The 6,000-capacity venue, which originally had a grass surface, was first fitted with an artificial pitch in 2005.

The change comes after the AFC banned the use of fully artificial pitches in its major national team and club competitions.

In a June 11 memo to member associations, Asian football's governing body said the decision is in line with efforts to improve the quality of play, following feedback that the standard of pitches—in particular artificial ones—has varied over the past few seasons.

The affected competitions are the World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers, the Women's Asian Cup and Olympic qualifiers, AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) and the AFC Women's Champions League.

The Jalan Besar Stadium hosted ACL2 matches of Singapore Premier League (SPL) sides Lion City Sailors and BG Tampines Rovers last season, with both teams having also qualified for the group stage of the second-tier continental club competition next season.