The website of UOL Sport (in Sao Paulo, Brazil) has reported that the renovation work on Allianz Parque, the home stadium of Sociedade Esportvia Palmeiras in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is quickly nearing completion. The arena’s surface is grassed with TifGrand Bermudagrass.

At the time of the report (in July 2015), half of the soccer field had been planted, with the remainder to be installed by the end of that week. The irrigation system was also being installed, and the arena lights had already been erected.

As the report noted, TifGrand is a warm-season variety, which is ideal for a tropical climate. After all the sod has been installed, the surface will need between 30 and 45 days to root in and establish well before play. In winter, the TifGrand will be overplanted with a cool-season variety.

For the first month after the sod’s installation on the 115 X 78 meter field, the irrigation system is expected to apply between 100,000 to 120,000 liters (26,000 to 31,000 gallons) of water per day. From the second month onward, the water needs will drop by about half.

With 92% of the work completed at Allianz Parque, half of the seats had been installed and the second LED screen was being placed in position. To ensure the safety of patrons, the arena will also feature 250 surveillance cameras and facial recognition software. More than 500 WiFi antennas will ensure an optimal digital experience on game days. 

To see 20 great photos of the TifGrand installation and read the original article in Portuguese, click here.