All Truths About the Soccer Dome

Soccer is one of the most popular sports on Earth, played on nearly every continent worldwide. This game is meant to be played on a soccer field specifically designed for it. This means the field is built keeping the climate, natural grass, sizing, and venue in mind. For instance, the perfect soccer climate would be one with moderate temperatures, calm winds, meadow grass, and very low humidity. Unfortunately, not all areas around the world can offer these specific conditions.

But now there is a solution to the issue, the soccer dome. The soccer dome is an incredibly effective solution to the issue of venue and climate and makes it possible for athletes to train year-round. For example, soccer domes can perfectly applied in the just concluded FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.  Since arid climate and high temperatures in Qatar, a soccer dome with constant temperature and humidity is one of the top choices.

Lusail Stadium is the main venue for the Qatar World Cup 2022, with a capacity of 80,000 spectators. This stadium is the world’s largest cable-net roofed monolithic building with the largest span and the largest overhang distance of the same type of cable-net system. And Metaspace was involved in building this magnificent venue.

A Case of Soccer Dome from MetaSpace

To understand just how helpful soccer domes can be, let us look into one of the most popular ones you will find today, The Soccer Dome Training Centre at Inner Mongolia Medical University, China. This was designed and built by Metaspace, one of the world’s leading suppliers of air-supported structure buildings.

 

The Soccer Dome Training Centre at Inner Mongolia Medical University is one of China’s largest sports dome complexes, covering a total of 20,645 square meters, with a length of 193 meters and a width of 106 meters. Inner Mongolia is interestingly one of the centers for football  development in China after it was decreed to be the pilot region for China’s football reforms back in September 2014. 

 

The Soccer Dome Training Centre at Inner Mongolia Medical University, China

While Inner Mongolia does have a pleasant grassland biome that supports football training, its weather can be equally frustrating during winters. The weather turns chilly and windy and can last for up to 7 months forming impediments to athletes’ training. This is why the Soccer Dome Training Centre was developed.

Here are some features of the indoor soccer dome in the University that make it an excellent sports venue.

 

  1. Functional

To start, it is incredibly functional in terms of area. It covers plenty of space (20645 square meters) and reaches up to 36 meters in height, and every inch of space is fully utilized. The area within the soccer dome is provisioned for a standard football court, 400-meter running tracks, and facilities for tennis, badminton, ping-pong, long jump, and high jump. This makes it an ideal training spot for athletes of all kinds.

  1. Healthy

Besides being incredibly functional, the soccer dome is further conducted keeping in mind the health of the athletes. It is specifically equipped with glare-free lighting, a type of lighting that is gentler on the eyes and enhances visibility at the same time.  

It further uses an air purification system to protect athletes from smog or PM2.5 during their training. These features allow athletes to train in a healthier, well-lit environment.

  1. Climatological

Finally, the soccer dome also takes into account external climate effects. The soccer dome maintains constant internal temperatures and humidity to protect the athletes from the strong winds and chilly winter weather. This means the athletes can train year-round without worrying about the changes in the external climate.

 

How Do Metaspace’s Soccer Domes Stay up in Bad Weather?

Here is how Metaspcae’s soccer dome works:

  • Light Architecture

Due to the PVF/PVDF materials, the construction of the Metaspace soccer dome can be done efficiently, and the maintenance is assisted by the intelligent management system. 

Besides wasting lesser building materials, it also operates on lesser energy than traditional soccer fields. The main body does not need any indoor frame or beam-column support; instead, it is supported by the air pressure difference between the indoors and the outdoors. The internal air pressure is stabilized by a set of intelligent electromechanical equipment that keeps track of the positive pressure at all times.

  • Resistance to Snow and Wind

The air domes are incredibly sturdy and stable and form a restrictive barrier against heavy snow, high or low temperatures, or high winds in any environment you place them. The structure of the air domes makes it the cost-effective solution for extreme weather challenges. Moreover, the perimeters of the structure are designed to withstand Hohhot’s worst snowstorm in 50 years.

  • Intelligent Management System

To top it off, the Metaspace air dome is fitted with an intelligent management system. This system can be remotely monitored, so people can keep track of its operational status at all times.

 

Final Thoughts

Air-supported soccer domes are truly a marvelous creation and will form a large part of future football training, not just in China but worldwide. These soccer domes now make it possible for athletes worldwide to pursue their passion regardless of their venue or regional climate!

For more information on dome sports, check out Metaspaces website.