The host association must ensure that the pitch is in the best possible condition for play.
For natural pitches, the height of the grass may not, in principle, exceed 30mm and the entire playing surface must be cut to the same height. The height of the cut should be the same for both the training sessions and the match. If deemed necessary by the referee or the UEFA match delegate, the host association may be requested to reduce the height of the grass for the match and training sessions.
The host association must announce the pitch-watering schedule at the match organisational meeting. The pitch must be watered evenly and not only in certain areas. As a general rule, pitch watering must be finished 60 minutes before kick-off. Additional pitch watering may be carried out if so decided by the host association in the qualifying competition and by UEFA in the final tournament, provided it takes place:
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between 15 and 10 minutes before kick-off (or between 20 and 15 minutes before kick-off during the final tournament depending on the countdown); and/or
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during half-time (for a maximum of five minutes, allowing substitute players to warm up on the field of play).
The referee is entitled to request changes to the schedule.
Except at half-time, participating associations may not allow any commercial or promotional activities (e.g. commercial or product brands, logos or commercial mascots) to appear on the field of play from the moment the teams are ready to kick off until after the final whistle.
The positioning of pitch advertising perimeter boards is shown in Annex B. Any other kind of upright advertising must be positioned at least three metres from the boundary lines of the field of play and at least one metre from the goal net, and must be safe for players and referees.
All goals must be set up securely and in accordance with the IFAB Laws of the Game and UEFA's instructions. No additional structural elements or physical support may be used inside the net or in its immediate surroundings other than bars fixing the goal net to the ground and goal net stanchions behind and outside the net. Portable goals must not be used.
It is the responsibility of the host association to ensure that the area immediately adjacent to the pitch is safe for players and referees. This includes, but is not limited to, securely installing additional, high-quality, green artificial turf around the field of play if necessary.
Associations must respect the pitch cutting guidelines.
Associations must respect the applicable pitch protection maps for the MD-1 training sessions and the pre-match warm-ups.