The Cruyff Foundation is using synthetic turf to create year-round sports facilities for children and young people in communities across the world, with the UK among the countries where its network is expanding.
Established in 1997, the Foundation now operates in 22 countries and has built around 350 Cruyff Courts since 2004. Almost 95% of the courts use synthetic turf, which the Foundation says provides the durability and year-round playability required for facilities that are used extensively by local communities.
The small football pitches are generally developed in partnership with local authorities, professional football clubs and other organisations, with partners responsible for maintaining the facilities and supporting programmes for at least ten years.
The Foundation's approach extends beyond the installation of the playing surface. Each court is supported by at least one trained Cruyff Coach, delivering programmes focused on areas including youth leadership, mental health and gender equality, alongside opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in sport.
Sustainability measures have also been incorporated at some sites. These include solar-powered lighting and water management systems. At a Cruyff Court in Orange Farm, near Johannesburg in South Africa, a ‘Catch-Store-Reuse’ system collects rainwater beneath the pitch before filtering it for use as drinking water.
The UK network has grown from 30 to 50 Cruyff Courts over the past year. The Dennis Bergkamp Cruyff Court in Islington, which opened in 2008, was the Foundation's first UK court and is now used by Arsenal in the Community.
The Foundation says it is concentrating its growth on countries where it already has an established presence, including the UK, Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, Malaysia and China, rather than pursuing rapid expansion into new markets.
Niels Meijer, CEO of the Cruyff Foundation, said synthetic turf enables the organisation to provide a durable surface that communities can use throughout the year, but added that the coaching and structured programmes delivered alongside each court are central to its wider objectives.
