Drought forces Swiss football clubs to move home games

Weeks of drought have left some football pitches in Switzerland only partly usable or completely unplayable, with many matches cancelled or postponed, SRF reports.

At SC Jegenstorf, a football club near Bern with 28 teams, the start of the season has changed significantly. The municipality officially closed the club’s pitch at the end of July because it had become dry and rock-hard.

“It is currently not possible to play football here,” club president Oliver Köhli told SRF.

The club has moved training sessions to an old football field. Until September, it must give up all its home fixtures and play only away matches. Köhli said the club has around 320 children and young people who cannot practise their sport for weeks or months.

FC Venoge, a football club in the canton of Vaud, is facing a similar situation. Its pitch is expected to remain only partly usable for weeks. President Sébastien Anger said the club may have to postpone matches, play all games away and restrict training for some teams. He said the club was concerned it might not be able to keep all its teams.

In Weggis, however, artificial turf remains green even during severe drought. Markus Bewert, president of the Innerschweizer Football Association, said some clubs in the region were facing problems but that the situation could still be managed. The region has many artificial-turf pitches where matches can be played.

SC Jegenstorf would also benefit from such a pitch. It could allow the club to move its championship matches into autumn, as artificial turf can be used throughout the year. But artificial turf is expensive and many municipalities cannot afford it. For now, Köhli is left hoping for rain.