Abandoned Soccer Field

On a walk between Pedras D’El Rei and Santa Luzia (Tavira, Portugal)—a distance of about two kilometers—I came across something unusual: an abandoned soccer field.

This field belonged to the Clube Recreio e Desporto Santaluziense (commonly known as CRD Santaluziense), founded on March 7, 1932.

During the 2018–2019 sports season, the club ultimately disbanded its men’s senior soccer team. Currently, CRD Santaluziense focuses its sports activities on other sports, most notably futsal—which is played at a different sports facility.

According to a report by the Jornal do Algarve at the time, the team was registered to compete in the Second Division of the Algarve Soccer Association’s District Championship.

However, the club’s management was forced to make this decision due to logistical and structural difficulties, namely the poor condition of its playing field and the fact that local promises to install an artificial turf field had not been fulfilled. Since then, the club has channeled its resources into the development of futsal and other sports.

The condition of the field was the reason for the withdrawal of CRD Santaluziense’s senior 11-a-side soccer team. The club had been relying on a local promise to install an artificial turf field, which ultimately did not materialize in time, making it impossible to continue competing.

The lack of restoration and modernization of this sports complex is directly linked to the enormous complexities of the permitting and construction processes in the region.

The main difficulties in implementing sports infrastructure in the Ria Formosa fall into three categories:

1. Environmental and Land-Use Restrictions (ICNF and POOC)
   The village of Santa Luzia lies within the area of significant influence of the Ria Formosa Natural Park and is covered by the Coastal Zone Management Plan. This means that:
   Any land alteration, earthwork, or sealing of the ground requires mandatory and highly binding opinions from the ICNF (Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests).

2. Microplastics and the Impact of Synthetic Turf
   The installation of modern synthetic turf involves the use of infill materials (often rubber granules or microplastics). Due to the extreme proximity to the Ria Formosa:
   There is a severe risk of contamination by microplastics carried by rainwater directly into the sensitive ecosystem of the estuary, affecting marine fauna and bivalve production.

3. Public Water Domain and Flood Risks
   Many of the adjacent plots in Santa Luzia border the Public Water Domain. This presents two challenges. Complex jurisdiction: Licensing in these areas does not depend solely on the Municipal Council but requires approval from the ARH (Hydrographic Region Administration) and the APA (Portuguese Environment Agency).

Coastal vulnerability: As these are marshlands or very low-lying areas, they are subject to rising average sea levels and periodic saltwater flooding, which discourages public investment in fixed infrastructure that can deteriorate rapidly