Acousto-scan Testing Institute specialists demonstrate how they test the football field at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila on April 10, 2025. All the tests here passed the required FIFA standards. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The football pitch at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex has been newly resurfaced with high-quality artificial turf, setting the stage for potential international matches and FIFA Quality certification as well as providing a better venue for aspiring athletes.

The pitch, which has seen decades of football history unfold, now boasts new and state-of-the-art materials.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann said the renovation is meant to grow more athletes and give Filipinos more ways to participate in sports.

“The key to sustain the victory of Philippine sports is to provide all the athletes the best welfare and facilities where they can thrive and grow on their journey to success,” he said.

“With this direction, more and more Filipinos are engaging, which contributes to the significant growth of the Philippine sports landscape.” 

The pitch is open but FIFA certification is still in the pipeline.

“It's safer to say that we are working on it and hopefully we can do this ASAP. So that we can actually open it and host international tournaments as well,” Bachmann said.

A peek at the football field at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila on April 10, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

'AN INVESTMENT IN FILIPINO ATHLETES'

E-Sports International Managing Director Audris Romualdez, whose company headed the project, said that more than just a renovation, it is an investment in Filipino athletes.

She said the company worked with the best manufacturers and test engineers to make sure the pitch is up to international standards.

Romualdez shared that the upgraded pitch uses Limonta, one of the world’s top producers of artificial turf and with whom they have been working for more than 20 years.

“It’s not easy to do a field...but they do quality turf.”

Anthony Apparailly — executive sports director of Acousto-Scan, the firm tasked with testing the pitch — explained that the upgrades reflect significant advancements in turf technology since the last installation over a decade ago.

He also said that teams can play on the field for up to 8,000 hours without damage or deformation of the field, compared to natural grass. 

He added the turf was engineered using polyurethane to avoid such injuries like carpet burn.

From safety to performance, every detail of the field was tested by Acousto-Scan, an accredited sports surface and sports testing laboratory.

The resurfacing is expected to lead to a FIFA Quality Pro Certification.

“We know it's going to pass,” Romualdez said.

The project cost P16 million, lower than the P28-million budget approved for it, Bachmann said, adding the PSC will make sure that the pitch will be maintained well.

“I've experienced throughout my career that we don't really maintain our facilities properly, so I will ensure that we actually start maintaining our facilities properly," he said.

We spent a lot of huge amount of money for our athletes, for good facilities, and I have to make sure... that we will start actually maintaining these facilities.”