Bukit Jalil National Stadium to Receive Hybrid Grass Pitch Donated by Johor Regent

The Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will soon have a new hybrid grass pitch , thanks to a donation from Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Regent of Johor and owner of Johor Darul Ta'zim FC (JDT). The decision to install the hybrid grass was made following a meeting between Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor John.

The current Zeon Zoysia grass pitch at the stadium, which was previously donated by Tunku Ismail, will be moved to the National Sports Council field at KL Sports City. The hybrid grass is expected to better serve the demands of a multi-purpose stadium, as it is more durable and flexible for both sporting and non-sporting events.

This marks the second donation of a pitch from the JDT owner, with the first being the Zeon Zoysia grass that replaced the cow grass at the National Stadium. However, the Zeon Zoysia grass failed to meet expectations after hosting various events, leading to a short-term moratorium on installing stage structures for concerts on the pitch.

The move to install a hybrid pitch comes after concerns were raised by football fans over the pitch's condition following recent concerts at the stadium. The Malaysia Stadium Corporation (PSM) will work closely with the management of the Tan Sri Dato' Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium in Larkin regarding the use of hybrid grass at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

Why this matters: The installation of a hybrid grass pitch at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium is a significant development for Malaysian sports and entertainment. The new pitch is expected to provide a better surface for both football matches and non-sporting events, ensuring that the stadium can continue to host a wide range of activities without compromising the quality of the playing field.

The hybrid grass, which is currently being grown at the Tan Sri Dato Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium (Larkin Stadium) in Johor Baru, is expected to be more durable and flexible than the previous Zeon Zoysia grass. The stadium management has announced that no concert structures will be erected on the field until after the World Cup 2026-Asian Cup 2027 second-round qualifiers match against Taiwan on June 11, 2024, to allow the new pitch to settle in.

Key Takeaways

• Bukit Jalil National Stadium to get new hybrid grass pitch donated by Johor Regent.
• Current Zeon Zoysia grass to be moved to National Sports Council field.
• Hybrid grass expected to better serve multi-purpose stadium's needs.
• Second pitch donation from Johor Darul Ta'zim FC owner Tunku Ismail.
• No concert structures on field until after 2026-2027 World Cup/Asian Cup qualifiers.