After a multi-million dollar investment, Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida has been given a new, modern pitch. Audax Italiano will soon make its debut on the renovated pitch, using technology on a par with the world's football giants.

Modern turf in heart of La Florida

Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida, located in one of Santiago's most dynamic neighbourhoods, is undergoing a real metamorphosis. The municipal authorities have decided to invest a huge sum of close to $625 million in upgrading the pitch, which puts the stadium among the most modern sports facilities in Chile. Replacing the synthetic turf with a new high-tech carpet was one of the key elements of this project.

Although this change has been noticed by the local media, the competitions that usually take place at the venue do not attract a huge amount of attention. The stadium holds only 12,000 spectators, and many prefer to seek safe and comfortable entertainment online, such as bitcoin games or those with betting using cryptocurrencies.

© Hanoxurbano (cc: by-sa)

The turf installed at Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida is no ordinary synthetic grass. It is the same technology that is used on the training pitches of football powerhouses such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and AC Milan. It is a synthetic fibre designed for high performance that incorporates a natural infill of cork and coconut substrate. As a result, the pitch provides greater stability and reduces the risk of injury to players - emphasise those responsible for the project.

The new turf is 45 millimetres thick and its infill, named Geoplus, consists of natural materials, which not only increases its durability but also improves cushioning. All these solutions mean that the stadium in La Florida can aspire to host matches at the highest level, meeting the requirements of both FIFA and CONMEBOL.

Inauguration on grand scale

The new pitch at Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida will not wait long for its inauguration. The first official match on the renovated pitch will already be played on August 28, 2024. That is when Audax Italiano will take on Everton de Viña del Mar in the 22nd round of the national championship. However, before that happens, the city authorities have prepared a series of launch events, most of which have already taken place.

On Friday August 23, an official ceremony was held at the stadium, during which around 500 children from the city's schools took part in sports demonstrations. A day later, on Saturday August 24, as many as 1,000 children from sports schools played on the new pitch.

© Chelo72