How Long is a Football Field? Complete Guide to Field Size & Dimensions

When people ask, “How long is a football field?” the answer depends on whether they are referring to soccer or American football. Generally, the word football is associated with soccer globally. It is the most popular sport in the world, which is played in over 200 countries. But in the United States or Canada, the word football is associated with American football. 

In this article, we will tackle soccer dimensions-related questions, including How long and wide is a football (soccer) field? How many yards in a football field? and more. 

Let’s get started!

How Big is a Soccer Field? (FIFA Guidelines)

Soccer fields are often called pitches and don’t have a single fixed size. FIFA (the governing body of association football) allows for a range of dimensions. This gives some flexibility to the stadiums. 

General FIFA Guidelines for Domestic Matches

• Length (touchline): 90–120 meters (100–130 yards)
• Width (goal line): 45–90 meters (50–100 yards)

So, technically, the soccer field length can vary from as small as 100 × 50 yards or as large as 130 × 100 yards.

International FIFA Matches

For international games, FIFA has strict rules for the measurements of a soccer pitch. 

• Length: 100–110 meters (110–120 yards)
• Width: 64–75 meters (70–80 yards)

This rule ensures that big tournaments like the FIFA World Cup or the UEFA Champions League are played on more uniform pitches. 

Read More: What is DB in Football?

How Long is a Football Field?

The length of the field is referred to as the touchline. According to FIFA rules, the minimum length should be 100 yards (90 meters) and the maximum length should be 130 yards (120 meters). 

Here are some examples of famous football stadiums in the world. 

• Camp Nou (FC Barcelona): 105 × 68 meters (115 × 74 yards)
• Old Trafford (Manchester United): 105 × 68 meters (115 × 74 yards)
• Maracanã (Brazil): 105 × 68 meters (115 × 74 yards)
• FNB Stadium (South Africa): 110 × 70 meters (120 × 76 yards)

You can see from this list that most stadiums follow a standard 105 × 68, recommended by FIFA. 

How Wide is a Soccer Field?

The width of a soccer field is referred to as the goal line. According to the rules of FIFA, the minimum width should be 50 yards (45 meters) and the maximum length should be 100 yards (90 meters). 

For international matches, they keep the width about 64-75 meters (70-80 yards). 

Why Width Matters

• Wider fields favor wing play. It allows the teams to stretch their defenses. 
• Narrow fields are great for defensive strategies. Compactness is the key with these strategies. 
• Almost all football coaches adjust their tactics based on the pitch width. 

Other Key Measurements for Soccer Field

Apart from the pitch length and width, soccer pitches have a number of important areas with fixed dimensions. 

Here is the list of key measurements for a soccer field. 

Goal Area (Six-Yard Box)

• It extends for 6 yards (5.5 meters) from each goalpost. 
• This area is mainly used for kicks. 

Penalty Area (Eighteen-Yard Box)

• It extends for 18 yards (16.5 meters) from each goalpost. 
• It also has a penalty spot. From 12 yards from the goal. 
• Goalkeepers are allowed to handle balls only within this area. 

Penalty Spot

• This area is located around 12 yards from the goal line. 

Center Circle

• It is a circle located around the halfway line with a 10-yard (9.15 meters) radius. 
• It is there to ensure opponents stay at the correct distance at the start. 

Corner Arc

• It’s a 1-yard (1 meter) quarter circle at each corner for corner kicks. 

Goals

• They have a width of 8 yards (7.32 meters) and a height of 8 feet (2.44 meters). 

How Big is a Soccer Field in Feet and Yards?

We know that many fans search for the size of the soccer field in yards and feet. Here is the quick conversion of soccer field dimensions. 

Measurement	Meters	Yards	Feet
Length (min)	90 m	100 yds	300 ft
Length (max)	120 m	130 yds	390 ft
Width (min)	45 m	50 yds	150 ft
Width (max)	90 m	100 yds	300 ft
Standard (FIFA rec.)	105 × 68 m	115 × 74 yds	345 × 222 ft

So, if we are speaking in feet terms, the standard soccer field is about 345 feet long and 222 feet wide. 

Size of Football Field in Different Competitions

FIFA, the governing body of Football, sets guidelines for the dimensions, but not all leagues and competitions follow identical dimensions. 

Have a look at the soccer field size in different competitions. 

Professional Leagues

• Most top leagues (EPL, La Liga, Serie A) use 105 × 68 meters.
• MLS (USA) fields vary slightly due to stadium design.

Youth Soccer Fields

• U-6: 20 × 15 yards.
• U-8: 25 × 20 yards.
• U-12: 70 × 50 yards.

The smaller size of the field helps young players develop.

Small-Sided Games (5-a-side, 7-a-side)

In recreational football, the number of players varies per side. So, in small-sided games, the size of the field also gets reduced. 

• 5-a-side: Around 40 × 30 yards.
• 7-a-side: Around 60 × 40 yards.

Soccer Field vs. American Football Field Dimensions

American football fields differ slightly from professional soccer fields. Let’s compare the two since many fans confuse the two. 

In American football, the length of the field is set to 100 yards, but when including the end zones, it ends up being 120 yards. And the width of the field has to be precisely 53 1/3 yards. It means that the length is comparable to the soccer field, but they are much narrower. 

Here is the comparison table.

Feature	Soccer Field	American Football Field
Length	100–130 yards	100 yards + 10 yd end zones (120 total)
Width	70–80 yards	53 ⅓ yards
Shape	Rectangular, larger	Rectangular, smaller
Area	7,000–10,000 sq. yds	6,400 sq. yds

Why Soccer Fields are Bigger than American Football Fields

• Soccer features continuous play. No timeouts like American football; a larger space supports fluid movement.
• The soccer field offers tactical variety. In Soccer, teams can use the entire pitch for passing, pressing, and attacking. 
• American football fields include end zones, but soccer needs wide spaces for wing play. 

Conclusion

So, how long is a football field?

The answer is between 100–130 yards (300–390 feet) long and 50–100 yards (150–300 feet) wide. In international matches, it usually ranges between 110–120 yards long and 70–80 yards wide. Most professional stadiums feature 105 × 68 meters (115 × 74 yards) standard soccer field dimensions. 

When compared to American football, soccer fields are wider and slightly longer. The difference is reflected in the way both sports are played. 

So, next time when you watch a football match, you’ll know exactly “How big is a football field?”

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