# Soccer pitch dimensions **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-soccer-fifa\ **Created:** [June 26, 2025, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165 "2025-06-26T17:19:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/1 "2025-06-26T17:19:08Z")
It came to my attention that soccer pitches are not all one size, there is a range they must fall in. Are there any pitches that players don’t like because they are too wide, too short or whatever? Or are the size differences too small to matter? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/2 "2025-06-26T17:22:53Z")
One time it was absurdly small and there were apologies. > **[Women's soccer team owners apologize for having team play game on comically...](https://ftw.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2016/07/15/flash-small-field/81826886007/)** > > Last week, in the moment that reminded us that field space is sometimes even limited for professional players, Western New York's NWSL team was forced out of its normal field due to a '90s throwback concert and onto a field made more for a kids' rec... ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/3 "2025-06-26T17:56:56Z")
Like with baseball stadia, any configuration will help some players and playstyles at the expense of others. Generally, teams with faster players will prefer large pitches. It can also be relevant for strategy; if you’re trying to bring the ball up on the wings a lot, you want a wide pitch for maneuverability, while if you’re going through the middle of the field it doesn’t matter. AFAIK there are no sizes within the permissible ranges which _everyone_ would agree are undesirable. Off the top of my head I think the acceptable ranges for most pro leagues are about 100-120 meters long and 70-80 meters wide. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/4 "2025-06-26T18:03:17Z")
In fact, I think it’s even possible to fit two full soccer fields in one soccer field. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/5 "2025-06-26T22:04:25Z")
As per FIFA: Length : Minimum 90 meters, Maximum 120 meters. Width : Minimum 45 meters, Maximum 90 meters. Therefore a min 90x45m pitch is 38% of a max 120mx90m field Recommended FIFA dimensions: 105 meters x 68 meters. Note that in all cases, length must exceed width i.e. the pitch can’t be square. And yes, you could fit aligned sideways two legal “international” minimum pitches within a single maximum pitch. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/6 "2025-06-26T22:17:43Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > Note that in all cases, length must exceed width i.e. the pitch can’t be square. 91 x 90 would still be fine, though? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/7 "2025-06-26T22:20:51Z")
Yes, that would be legal, if problematic playwise. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/8 "2025-06-26T23:11:04Z")
Faster and more attacking teams prefer big fields, slower and defensive teams prefer small fields. The only times I’ve really seen this matter is in mixed use stadiums. Before soccer specific stadiums really took off in the US teams mostly played in NFL stadiums, but some also played in the outfields of baseball stadiums, which necessitated narrower fields. IIRC San Diego used to be in a very narrow amateur stadium as well. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2025, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/9 "2025-06-27T06:16:35Z")
When Rory Delap was hurling throw ins into the opposition box from the halfway line back in the 00s, Stoke City had their pitch at the Britannia Stadium (now the catchily titled Bet365 Stadium) narrowed to 64m (the minimum allowed by the Premier League) to make it easier for him. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2025, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/10 "2025-06-27T12:51:06Z")
Probably also relevant for scholastic teams. Very few schools will have multiple fields for football and soccer. Usually, it’s the same field with slightly different lines on it (and the lines always stay on, so you just have to know “yellow lines for this sport, white lines for that sport”). ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2025, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-pitch-dimensions/1020165/11 "2025-06-27T13:27:36Z")
Yes, definitely. Football fields are on the narrow range, but within spec. For a high school team they might use the same field and same lines; same field, but different lines; or different field. The narrowness is less of an issue for the level of athletes that are playing high school soccer