World First: Full-size ONE-DNA™ Football Pitch for the City of Utrecht

A milestone for sustainable sports infrastructure: in a pioneering collaboration with the Municipality of Utrecht, GreenFields, CSC Sport, and LimeGreen have delivered the world’s first full-size football pitch made entirely from ONE-DNA™ turf technology a fully operational, match-ready field that brings circular, mono-material innovation to life at scale.

From Vision to Field

This project was remarkable because it didn’t start with a standard specification — it began with a bold question. The Municipality of Utrecht didn’t ask for what the market already offered, but challenged it to deliver the most sustainable turf solution. By putting circularity at the heart of their tender, they didn’t just allow innovation, they demanded it. And this field is the direct result of that ambition.

Initially developed for landscaping and play environments, ONE-DNA™ is now proving its value at the highest level of sport. The new field in Utrecht is the first of its kind: a synthetic turf pitch made entirely from a single polymer, enabling clean, closed-loop recycling without material separation or degradation.

By eliminating mixed materials, reducing production energy, and ensuring full circularity, ONE-DNA™ represents a new generation of turf systems without compromising performance, resilience, or safety.

Built-In Climate Adaptation

Sustainability doesn’t stop at the surface. Under the pitch lies an intelligent water-buffering system. This layer captures rainwater during storms and gradually releases it during dry periods, helping to cool the field and its surroundings. It also prevents heat stress in summer and mitigates local flooding, a key issue in dense urban areas like Utrecht. The stored water can be reused or directed to nearby waterways when needed, turning the pitch into a climate tool and a playing field.

A Blueprint for Circular Sport

The Netherlands is setting a new benchmark in sustainable sports infrastructure, using lifecycle assessments (LCAs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to make the environmental impact of synthetic turf measurable and comparable. This project highlights how municipalities and industry leaders can strengthen each other by setting clear sustainability criteria and acting on them. More than a place to play, this pitch proves how sport, sustainability, and systems thinking can create a lasting impact.