
Half a Century of AstroTurf: The Evolution of Hockey’s Synthetic Surface
Celebrating 50 years of synthetic hockey turf, from its Olympic debut in Montreal to the sustainable surfaces set for Los Angeles 2028.
Latest Slidescroller coverage mentioning Richard Tattershaw across Hockey.

Celebrating 50 years of synthetic hockey turf, from its Olympic debut in Montreal to the sustainable surfaces set for Los Angeles 2028.

The 1976 Montreal Olympics introduced artificial hockey turf, sparking a half‑century of innovation that reshaped rules, equipment and global participation, culminating in a new Poligras installation for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The 50th anniversary of AstroTurf in field hockey reflects on how synthetic surfaces transformed play, sustainability and the future of the Olympic tournament.

The sport marks half a century since the first match on synthetic grass, a milestone that reshaped rules, tactics and equipment while driving sustainability efforts.