How Big is a Soccer Field?

The FIFA Laws of the Game are quite flexible when it comes to soccer field sizes. Some soccer clubs take advantage of this by adapting their home field to suit the team's style of play. Youth players, especially under-15s, often play on smaller fields, but every future soccer star will eventually play on a regulation-size field...

FIFA Soccer Field Dimensions

Take a look at the measurements on the field above and you'll soon realize that pro soccer fields can be very different sizes. According to the official FIFA rules of world soccer, a field can be 100 to 130 yards in length and 50 to 100 yards wide.

Hang on... have you ever seen a completely square soccer field? They are always rectangular, right? They sure are – that's because FIFA has one extra rule that says the length of the touchline must be greater than the length of the goal line. So, a soccer field measuring 100 by 100 yards is illegal.

International Soccer Field Sizes

FIFA also has separate field-dimension regulations for international soccer matches. For a stadium to host an international match between the USA and Mexico, for example, its field must be 110 to 120 yards long and 70 to 80 yards wide.

Youth Soccer Field Sizes

Youth players generally compete and practice on smaller fields – at least up until the ages of about 14 or 15. Under-10s often play on fields of about 45 to 55 yards in length and 35 to 45 yards wide – less than half the size of an adult soccer field. As you grow older, the field size will grow with you. You will become stronger and faster, allowing you to cover greater areas.

There's no rush to move up the field sizes – all practice is good practice, no matter what size the playing area. Once you do reach 15 years of age (or thereabouts), try to play on full-size soccer fields as often as possible. Becoming familiar with a full-size field is a good step on the way to professional soccer.

Related Articles:

• Soccer Goal Dimensions
• How Long is a Game of Soccer?
• Soccer Ball Sizes