“Stories that distort reality”

Criticisms about the use of artificial turf, which grew stronger last week, were answered this Thursday 11. Palmeiras, as well as other clubs that have artificial surfaces in their stadiums, took a position in a statement to defend the use of artificial surfaces in competitions.

“In light of recent public statements on the use of synthetic fields in Brazilian football, Athletico Paranaense, Atlético-MG, Botafogo, Chapecoense and Palmeiras reaffirm their position in favor of this technology, adopted in a responsible and regulated manner,” indicates the joint note, published on social networks.

Target of player protests – but also from Flamengo – synthetic pitches could have an increased presence among the Serie A teams of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. Indeed, in addition to Palmeiras (Allianz Parque), Botafogo (Nilton Santos) and Atlético-MG (Arena MRV), Athletico Paranaense (Ligga Arena) and Chapecoense (Arena Condá) also have pitches with artificial surfaces. Vasco, in turn, is close to reaching an agreement to play at the Botafogo stadium during the works in São Januário.

At a press conference last Tuesday, in Doha, Qatar, where he is with the Rio team for the Intercontinental Cup, coach Filipe Luís once again gave a speech against synthetic pitches.

“Which European championship has six clubs that will play on a synthetic pitch? This devalues ​​the product, makes fewer spectators around the world want to watch (the matches). For the health of the athletes, the ideal is that they play on good quality natural pitches”, declared the commander who reinforced his thoughts by highlighting the quality of the pitch of the Libertadores final and also of the Qatar stadiums to justify his opinion.

“In the Libertadores final, in Lima, a city where it hardly rains, it was perhaps the best pitch we have played on all year. Here I have not yet entered the stadium, but I am sure we will find a pitch in the best conditions.”

The controversy surrounding this issue has intensified and will be the subject of particular attention by the CBF. The biggest proof of this is that the entity will form a team to discuss another subject: the quality of stadium pitches, including synthetic ones.

One of the ideas on the entity’s radar is to try to define a new general parameter and, based on this, establish a wide window, with incentives, for clubs to adapt.

This year, Neymar, Thiago Silva and Lucas Moura led a players’ movement against artificial turf, attacked by managers, coaches and athletes. They are at the origin of a mobilization which gave rise to a publicized campaign on social networks so that matches would no longer be played on artificial surfaces.

Flamengo are the most categorical club among those who have launched a crusade against synthetic surfaces, so much so that they publicly defend the end of the use of artificial surfaces in official competitions. The president of the red-black club, Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as Bap, believes that artificial turf causes a financial imbalance between the teams and “harms the physical health of players and athletes”.

The club proposed to the CBF to include the ban on playing on artificial pitches in the financial fair play project. The idea was rejected by the confederation. But Bap insisted that the top brass who run the entity consider creating a task force to evaluate the issue, even though it is not a priority request.

See full note

In light of recent public statements on the use of synthetic pitches in Brazilian football, Athletico Paranaense, Atlético, Botafogo, Chapecoense and Palmeiras reaffirm their position in favor of this technology, adopted in a responsible, regulated manner and in line with international best practices.

First, it is essential to recognize that there is no standardization of lawns in Brazil. Ignoring this fact and directing criticism exclusively towards synthetic turfs reduces a complex debate to a simplified, unfair and technically flawed narrative.

We also reaffirm that a high-performance synthetic pitch outperforms, in several respects, the poor natural pitches present in a significant proportion of the country’s stadiums.

It is also important to point out that there are no conclusive scientific studies proving an increase in injuries caused by modern artificial turfs.

The topic of lawn quality is legitimate, healthy and necessary. However, it must be carried out responsibly, with objective data and technical knowledge, and not with narratives that distort reality, misinform the public and ignore the complexity of the subject.