The size of a football pitch can vary greatly depending on the age of the players involved and the format of football played. Whether you’re a player, coach, chairman, groundsman, teacher, or other interested party, playing on the correct size football pitch is essential. The information in this guide covers the official football pitch sizes for 5, 7, 9, and 11-a-side games, whilst also outlining the standard football pitch lines you’ll find on those pitches.
The History of Football Pitches
Back in the early 1800s, when the game was first established and initial rules and regulations were developed, pitches tended to be around 200 yards long and typically used corner flags to designate the width of the playing area. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that pitches began to incorporate and use lines to mark out the perimeter of the playing area. This marked the beginning of the famous football pitch that we know today. Whilst many sports grounds, venues, and arenas, including tennis courts and cricket pitches, have very strict and exact guidelines in terms of their dimensions, a football pitch can vary significantly in terms of its length and width.
Football Pitch Dimensions by Age
The FA recommends that children of different age groups play on different sized football pitches and with a different format in terms of the number of players on the field at any one time. The FA football pitch guidelines can be found by clicking here (please note that clicking the link will automatically download a pdf). The FA recommends adding a runoff area (the safety area around the pitch), which typically adds another 6 yards to the length and width of the pitch.
In under 7/8 matches, the penalty box is 9 yards from the goal line and 16 yards long, the penalty spot is marked out 7 yards from the centre of the goal, and there should be a runoff area around the perimeter of the field of 3 yards. The dimensions and markings used for under 7 and 8 matches are also often used for senior 5-a-side matches. Under 9/10 players should play matches with 7 players on each team on the pitch at one time. The pitch should measure 60 yards x 40 yards.
Football Pitch and Equipment Requirements by Age
Under 11/12 players should play with 9 players on each team on the pitch at one time. The pitch should measure 80 yards x 50 yards. For players aged 11 and 12, the penalty spot is marked out 9 yards from the centre of each goal, and the penalty box should measure 32 yards x 13 yards. The goal area should have dimensions of 4 yards x 14 yards. Under 13/14 players should play with 11 players from each team on the field of play at one time. The goal posts should measure 21ft x 7ft and the ball should be a size 4.
Football Pitch Dimensions by Number of Players
The FA recommends that 5-a-side football pitches should be 40 yards long and 30 yards wide. A 7-a-side football pitch should be 60 yards long and 40 yards wide. According to FA guidelines, a 9 v 9 football pitch should measure 80 yards x 50 yards. The FA recommends that 11 v 11 football pitches should measure 110 yards x 70 yards, although actual pitch measurements can vary between 100 yards and 130 yards long and 50 yards to 100 yards wide according to IFAB’s Laws of the Game documentation.
Football Pitch Markings Explained
The markings on a football pitch play a hugely important part in any game. Whether defining when the ball is in/out of play, when a goal has been scored, or when a penalty should be awarded, the lines on football pitches are essential to games played at any level. Not only are there regulation pitch line layouts, but there are also regulation sizes which need to be followed. Below we’ve outlined what the standard lines on football pitches are used for.
Famous Football Pitch Dimensions
You may be wondering how the pitches at some of the world’s best-known stadiums compare in size. If you are, you’re in luck, as the dimensions of several famous football pitches are shown in the table below. They are all accurate at the time of writing. Crystal Palace has one of the smallest pitches in the English Football League, with a size of 110.5 yards x 74.4 yards. One of the largest professional football pitches is located in Elche in Alicante. The pitch measures 118 yards x 77 yards.
Football Pitch FAQs
A football pitch that adheres to the current FA guidelines in terms of its dimensions should be 110yds long and 70yds wide, meaning it covers an area of 1.6 acres. A typical football pitch measuring 110yds long and 70yds wide, will cover an area of 69,300 ft². Groundskeepers will also tend to make use of some type of line marking machinery.
How to Mark Out a Football Pitch
It wasn’t until the 1880s that markings began to be introduced, and groundskeepers would typically use chalk or sometimes even dust of some kind, to mark out the dimensions of the pitch. These days, groundskeepers use a range of paints and solutions to mark out football pitches. Line marking paints usually consist of a formula of micronized titanium dioxide, resins and surfactants.
Is a Rugby Pitch Bigger than a Football Pitch?
Rugby pitches are usually slightly wider than a football pitch which adheres to the English FA’s recommendations. Whilst the FA recommends that football pitches should be 70 yards wide, rugby union pitches are between 74.4 yards and 76.6 yards wide. Rugby union pitches tend to be longer than football pitches as well when the “in-goal area” beyond the try-line is included.
Which is the Biggest Football Pitch in England?
At the time of writing, the biggest professional football pitch is Manchester City’s pitch at the Etihad Stadium which is 116 yards long and 77 yards wide. The majority of Premier League football pitches measure 115 yards x 74 yards. The dimensions of the pitches do vary slightly, however.
In conclusion, football pitch sizes can vary greatly depending on the age of the players involved and the format of football played. Whether you’re a player, coach, chairman, groundsman, teacher, or other interested party, playing on the correct size football pitch is essential.
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