Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium will sell grass souvenirs from the match in June that featured Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi. 

The friendly match on June 15 between Argentina and Australia drew a crowd of more than 50,000 spectators. 

After the game, forklifts entered the venue to collect the grass. The turf, which had staged six Chinese Super League matches and the international, has been made into 2,023 grass souvenirs, the stadium said, some of which will be sold to the public through an online presale lottery and also on-site purchase on match days.

The first round of online presale started at noon on Friday, with 100 souvenirs available for presale at a price of 499 yuan ($69). As of 10pm on Friday, more than 2,500 people had applied online. 

It is not the first time the stadium has sold grass souvenirs. In 2020, it sold pieces of turf for 399 yuan each, to mark the 28th anniversary of the Beijing Guoan soccer club. 

While some fans expressed doubts about the sale, others said, “It is just a way to increase revenue. Grass needs to be replaced after a certain period... It’s better to sell it than to throw it away. Buying these items is no different from buying stamps. How can a piece of paper be worth one yuan? It has value because it has a market.”

According to a report by the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald, a media outlet based in Hunan province, selling grass souvenirs is not uncommon in the sports industry.

During the expansion of English Premier League team Liverpool’s Anfield stadium in 2016, items ranging from wall bricks and floor tiles to seats were sold to fans. 

In 2017, when Spanish team Atletico Madrid relocated from its long-time home at the Estadio Calderon to the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, grass from the old pitch was made into souvenirs. FC Barcelona has even made grass souvenirs from its Camp Nou stadium which fans can carry as a pendant.