Kauanians Triumph: Now the Stadium is Suitable for Both Concerts and Football

2025-07-18 15:11 © lff.lt

At the beginning of summer, after the concerts of Justin Timberlake and "Guns N' Roses" at the Darius and Girėnas Stadium, it became clear that the new grass can withstand the load from tens of thousands of spectators. Last year, due to problems and the failure to prepare the field on time for the Lithuanian men's national football team matches, the Kaunas City Council made the decision to update the conditions of the concession agreement and change the surface.

Just a year ago, hosting mass events at the Darius and Girėnas Stadium posed a risk to the quality of the football field's grass. Worn out grass after concerts raised concerns for athletes and fans, and significant challenges for the stadium operator.

Last August, the grass was not prepared in time for the Lithuanian men's national football team matches against the Cyprus national team after the concerts. In response to the situation and to ensure a flawless experience for stadium visitors in the future, the stadium operator took steps to harmonize the interests of different groups using the infrastructure of Darius and Girėnas Stadium and approached the Kaunas City Council for specific solutions. By the end of 2024, part of the stadium concession agreement conditions was changed. At the same time, the grass maintenance obligations were adjusted and a completely new hybrid grass was installed.

The fact that the decision proved to be effective was confirmed by the visible situation following the recent world-class concerts held at Darius and Girėnas Stadium, which attracted tens of thousands of spectators. Before the performances of Justin Timberlake and the band "Guns N' Roses," all possible grass protection measures were taken to minimize potential damage. The new surface has become significantly more resilient to loads.

"The decision to change the grass was important and strategically necessary. With the new surface and consistent maintenance, we can ensure a quality football field even after events that attract thousands of crowds. For example, before covering the grass for each concert, it is heavily fertilized and watered to have as many nutrients as possible and become more resistant to external factors. We also aim to minimize the time the grass is covered, and after each football match and concert, standard grass restoration actions are implemented: it is cleaned, combed, aerated, fertilized, and watered,” says Saulius Balnanosis, the stadium director.

According to the stadium manager, every mass event held at the stadium is a lesson, and grass maintenance is a continuous process.

"Grass maintenance is a process that requires continuous improvement. However, today we can say that we already have a system that works. This allows us to avoid tricky situations we faced in the past and confidently look forward to upcoming concerts and football matches. In August, Robbie Williams and Post Malone will perform at the stadium, attracting thousands of fans. We will also invite people to watch the Lithuanian men's national football team's battles in September. We are pleased and appreciate the city's decision to look for a long-term solution, which now allows the stadium to be open to everyone – both football and music fans,” adds S. Balnanosis.

Hybrid grass is a combination of natural and artificial surfaces, which is significantly more resilient to high loads. This type of playing surface has been used for many years in the largest European stadiums where elite football league teams play.