When Dutch Eredivisie club PEC Zwolle converted its stadium pitch from artificial turf back to natural grass, a dedicated training facility became a practical necessity. The club has been using neighbouring ground at Be Quick '28 in the meantime. That solution continues for the academy and women's team, but the first squad now has its own campus on the former De Pelikaan site in Zwolle, completed this spring with two full-size hybrid pitches and a smaller training area.

The hybrid system installed is Verdemix, developed by Limonta Sport. Previously applied at venues including Real Madrid, FC Bayern Munich, AC Milan and the EURO 2024 final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, it arrives in the Netherlands for the first time.

Verdemix uses a wider fibre spacing than conventional hybrid systems. The reduced insertion density is compensated by the fibre material itself, which maintains structural stability, consistent ball roll and surface evenness without relying on volume.

Each insertion point carries two bundles of six PE fibres, stitched 18 centimetres into the substrate and sitting just above the turf surface. The fibres have a slightly textured profile, which contributes to anchorage in the ground. Above ground, the PE has enough thickness to stand upright consistently, which drives ball roll quality and surface evenness over time. The material is soft to the touch and sliding-friendly, which matters at training intensity.

At 3x3, fibres account for a maximum of 7 percent of the playing surface. The rest is natural grass. The wider spacing also makes maintenance more straightforward than denser hybrid systems.

Limonta, based in Bergamo, is part of TenCate. With more than 200 pitches installed worldwide, including the UEFA Super Cup 2025 in Udine, the system is installed using machines designed and manufactured by Limonta specifically for the Verdemix process. The installation at Zwolle ran continuously over approximately two weeks. Limonta's schedule is heavily committed across multiple continents, including installations connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico and the United States.

The decision at Zwolle reflects the club's specific priorities: consistent availability, surface quality close to natural grass, and a maintenance approach that a single field manager can handle in-house.