Soccer Blade

The size of a soccer field can vary and teams use different sizes to suit their style of play. A small field can restrict an opponent from playing their natural game. For instance, Barcelona has one of the largest fields, this is ideal for their passing game where they can open up the opposition with their precise passing.

What are the soccer field dimensions?

The dimension of a soccer field for an international game is 70-80 yards by 110 by 120 yards.

This article covers all the dimensions you need to know about all aspects of soccer. For the professional games and the youth, I have collected all of the information from the official sources to give them to you in one place.

Table Of Contents

Soccer Field Surface
Field Markings
11 vs 11 Soccer Field Dimensions

International Matches
Goal Area
Penalty Area

FIFA Soccer Field Dimensions

Corner Flag
Technical Areas
Soccer Goal Post Dimensions

US Youth Soccer Field Size
High School Soccer Field Dimensions
Indoor Soccer Field Dimensions
Futsal Field Dimensions
Soccer field vs NFL Football Field: Comparison

Related Questions

soccer field infographic — soccer basic field infographic

Soccer Field Surface

The soccer field can be either natural turf, artificial turf, or a combination of the two. The color needs to be green. The quality of the field for a FIFA competition match needs to be of the standard of the FIFA Quality Programme for Football Turf. This is unless it is given permission by the International Football Association Board.

If you are a coach and looking to take your team to the next level. Check out this app that comes with a session planner, training drills, tactics, and more at Planet. Training – A free trial is here.

Field Markings

The field must be marked to show the sections in a continuous line. The lines must be of the same thickness. If a field is marked by a different game, those lines need to be a different color and you must be able to tell they are not a part of the game. The areas that are to be marked are;

Touchlines
halfway line
Center mark
Center circle
Corner arks
Goal lines same width as posts + crossbar
Lines less than 12 cm/5 inches

A player who makes unauthorised marks on the field of play must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour. If the referee notices this being done during the match, the player is cautioned when the ball next goes out of play.
IFAB

11 vs 11 Soccer Field Dimensions

	Meters	Yards
Length – Touch Line	90-120	100-130
Width – Goal Line	45-90	50-100

International Matches

For matches played at the World Cup and all national games.

	Meters	Yards
Length – Touch Line	100-110	110-120
Width – Goal Line	64-75	70-80

Goal Area

The goal area, sometimes known as the 6-yard box is measured from the goalposts, 6 yards or 5.5 meters parallel to the goal line.

Penalty Area

The penalty mark is measured from the back of the goal line.

From inside of the post the penalty area is measured to 18 yards/16.5 meters
The penalty mark is measured from the middle of the goalposts to 12 yards/11 meters
Ark – Measured from the penalty mark at 10 yards/9.15 meters

FIFA Soccer Field Dimensions

Soccer field Dimensions - International Match — International soccer field dimensions – IFAB

Corner Flag

The corner flag is a quarter circle and 1 yard from the goal line and touchline. The flagpost should not be shorter than 5 feet/1.5 meters.

Technical Areas

The technical is for the coaches to give instructions. The measurement must be no wider than 1 yard/1 meter from the seating area and no closer than 1 yard/meter from the touchline. Only one person is allowed to give instructions from the area at ay given time.

Soccer Goal Post Dimensions

The height of a soccer goal is 8 feet/2.44 meters and the width is 8 yards/7.32 meters.

The shape of the posts can vary from a square, rectangle, round or elliptical – professionals use round posts. The width of the goalposts must be the same thickness as the lines – no more than 12 cm/5 inches. Check-out these portable goals on Amazon, it only takes 3 minutes to set up!

Soccer goal dimensions - Goal post shapes — Soccer goal post shapes and measurements – IFAB

US Youth Soccer Field Size

Details for all US youth soccer, from under 6’s to under 19’s: US Youth Soccer

Age	Game Minutes	Ball Size	Players	Goal feet	Width yards	Length yards
u17-u19	2 x 45	#5	11 vs 11	8 x 24	50-100	100-130
u15-u16	2 x 40	#5	11 vs 11	8 x 24	50-100	100-130
u13-u14	2 x 35	#5	11 vs 11	8 x 24	50-100	100-130
u11-u12	2 x 30	#4	9 vs 9	7 x 21	45-70	70-80
u9-u10	2 x 25	#4	7 vs 7	6 x 18.5	35-45	55-65
u6-u8	4 x 10	#3	4 vs 4	4 x 6	15-25	25-35

High School Soccer Field Dimensions

The dimensions for a soccer field for the United States high schools are the same as above for the center circle, penalty area, goal area, penalty spot, and corner arks. The only difference is the length of the touchline and the goal line.

	Minimum Yards	Maximum Yards
Length – Touchline	100	120
Width – Goal line	55	80

Indoor Soccer Field Dimensions

The recommended size of a US indoor soccer field is 67 yards long and 28 yards wide. The penalty mark is 8 yards from the goal. The goals are 8 feet by 14 feet. This is from the Ohio High School Soccer Association.

The goal area is not a standard international shape, so check against your local competition regulations.

	Minimum Yards	Maximum Yards
Length – Touchline	58	70
Width – Goal line	25	33

Futsal Field Dimensions

Futsal field dimensions for the United States from U.S. Futsal;

	Minimum	Maximum
Width – yards	16	27
Length – yards	27	45

International futsal field dimensions from Wikipedia;

	Minimum	Maximum
Width – yards	21.9	27.3
Length – yards	41.5	45.9

Soccer field vs NFL Football Field: Comparison

	Soccer Field	Football Field
Width – yards	50-100	53.33
Length – yards	100-130	100 (120 apexes)

For more useful guides, see the articles below or visit our home page.

The competition for TV viewing and the following that football has, maybe a reason for the soccer season not to clash by competing in the same months.

European Football Season

The most popular league in the world is the Premier League in England. Their season begins in August and runs through winter and finishes in May.

They have some pretty harsh winters there, but most of the higher league divisions have underground heating, for their turf not to get frozen. Another popular league is La Liga in Spain – they do have winter break but the reason is to give their players a rest for a few weeks during the middle of the season.

For the non-professional and youth leagues in the UK, during the winter, many games are called off and they are rescheduled in the spring. There is a demand now for all-weather pitches to continue playing.

Can I play on Icy Turf?

When the frost hits the ground, the ground turns to rock. It is, of course, possible to play, but it is dangerous and not advised. Normally in soccer, there will be times when a player falls down as it is a contact sport -the impact of a frozen pitch is tough and can cause many injuries.

Some players enjoy a sliding tackle, but this is a definite no-no with a frozen pitch.

soccer ball in snow - (is soccer a winter or fall sport?)

The cleats that soccer players use have studs on them and they are designed to stick into the soil for grip. If the soil is too hard for the studs to sink into, it can be like going on an ice rink with sneakers on.

Soccer Surface Options

Turf

As we have looked at, if the soil is frozen, then it is too dangerous to play. In the fall and winter, the rainfall is much higher, this can cause many pitches to be waterlogged. This is another reason to avoid the turf during these seasons – a ball does not travel well along a flood plain.

Hard Court

A hard court that is indoors can be good to play on. When outside, you will face the slippery dangers. If there is heavy rainfall, you need the right footwear, even then it can be slippy.

When freezing, then any moisture that gets on the pitch can make it like an ice rink. So to enjoy your game, an indoor hard court is good, although there is a better option.

Artificial Grass – Astroturf

Soccer player kicking the ball on artificial turf (is soccer a winter or fall sport?)

By far the best option of the three playing surfaces during the winter is artificial grass. There are three different options, 2G, 3G, and 4G. For these pitches, soccer cleats that are worn on grass pitches are not suitable – they can cause an injury to the ankle very easily. Special artificial/astroturf boots are available.

2G has a slight height of artificial grass which is similar to that of a tennis ball. Because of the short strands, it does not take long for the grass to flattened. This type of pitch can also be very slippy in the winter.

3G has substantially great depth in length to the artificial grass, making it more like turf. Across most of these types of pitches are rubber pellets, which keep the longevity of the grass and give if soft spongy feel to the feet. The 3G pitch is also suitable to play on during the winter months, even when it is icy or snowing.

4G is similar to 3G but with artificial grass blades that are longer and this can be very similar to playing on real grass.

Artificial turf for playing soccer in the fall and winter

Is soccer a Fall and Winter Sport? Advantages

Soccer is a physical game and there is a lot of running to do. The coolness of the winter cools the players down quickly, so there is no danger of overheating. The chance of dehydration is minimal during these months and less water is needed to be drunk.

There are fewer options for sports to be played in the fall and winter, so soccer can be a great hobby for those with great interest during these quieter months.

Is soccer a Fall and Winter Sport? Disadvantages

If you play on the wrong surface as we looked at, there can be a real danger of injuring yourself or an opponent. If you don’t have the right cleats on or you play on a dangerous surface, an injury can quite easily occur.

Players are more prone to injuries during the colder months, as people are less inclined to do a proper warm-up so that the muscles are stretched – which is the main reason for an injury.

Playing Soccer: Fall and Winter

If there is a field near you, that has a 3G or 4G pitch, it is more than adequate to play soccer there in the fall and winter. Ideally, if you have a sports center where you can play it indoors – be sure to wear the right kind of cleats for it. Playing soccer outdoors can be free, so there can be more of a cost to playing in these seasons, but it is worth it.

What season do the youths play soccer?

From September to November and from March till May.

Is soccer a winter sport?

Soccer for the professionals in the States is not played in the winter but it is possible to play on the right surfaces with the correct cleats.