How big is a football pitch, really? And why do German speakers call the penalty area the ‘16-metre box’ when it is actually 16.5 m deep? Here you'll find every dimension from the official Laws of the Game, the area in square metres and hectares, the pitch sizes used in Swiss youth football and a blank football pitch as a printable PDF.
In short
A football pitch usually measures 105 × 68 m. That's 7,140 m², or around 0.7 hectares. The Laws of the Game allow a length of 90 to 120 m and a width of 45 to 90 m. The goal is 7.32 × 2.44 m, the penalty area (18-yard box) 40.32 × 16.5 m.
How big is a football pitch?
Football pitch, football field or field of play: they all mean the same rectangle. Its size is set by the Laws of the Game of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), specifically Law 1. But instead of one fixed number, the Laws give a range:
| Size | Length | Width | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 90 m | 45 m | 4,050 m² |
| Maximum | 120 m | 90 m | 10,800 m² |
| International matches | 100–110 m | 64–75 m | 6,400–8,250 m² |
| Standard (FIFA recommendation) | 105 m | 68 m | 7,140 m² |
The leeway has a practical reason: it lets pitches be adapted to local conditions. International matches have a narrower range, and for stadiums FIFA recommends 105 × 68 m, which is why this size is considered the standard. One more rule: the touchlines must always be longer than the goal lines.
All lines and markings at a glance
Length and width may vary, the markings may not: the penalty area, goal area and circles are the same size on every full-size pitch.
| Marking | Dimension | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Penalty area (18-yard box) | 40.32 × 16.5 m | lines 16.5 m from each post, extending 16.5 m into the pitch |
| Goal area (6-yard box) | 18.32 × 5.5 m | lines 5.5 m from each post, extending 5.5 m into the pitch |
| Penalty mark (penalty spot) | 11 m from the goal | measured from the midpoint between the posts |
| Penalty arc | radius 9.15 m | around the penalty mark, outside the penalty area |
| Centre circle | radius 9.15 m | around the centre mark |
| Corner arc | radius 1 m | at each corner flagpost, which is at least 1.5 m high |
| Line width | max. 12 cm | all lines the same width; they belong to the areas they mark out |
| Goal | 7.32 × 2.44 m | inside measurement; posts and crossbar max. 12 cm wide |
Why such odd numbers? The dimensions come from the imperial system: 16.5 m is 18 yards, 5.5 m is 6 yards, 11 m is 12 yards and 9.15 m is 10 yards. That's why the box German speakers call the ‘16-metre box’ is really 16.5 m deep. And 9.15 m is also the distance opponents have to keep at a free kick.
Football pitch size in square metres and hectares
A standard 105 × 68 m pitch covers 7,140 m², or 0.714 hectares. Depending on length and width, though, a regulation pitch can be much smaller or larger:
| Area | Dimensions | m² | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard pitch | 105 × 68 m | 7,140 m² | 0.71 ha |
| Smallest permitted pitch | 90 × 45 m | 4,050 m² | 0.41 ha |
| Largest permitted pitch | 120 × 90 m | 10,800 m² | 1.08 ha |
| Stadium pitch incl. run-off area* | 115 × 76 m | 8,740 m² | 0.87 ha |
| Penalty area | 40.32 × 16.5 m | 665 m² | 0.07 ha |
* FIFA recommendation for larger stadiums: 5 m of space behind each goal line and 4 m beyond each touchline before the advertising boards begin.
Converting hectares into football pitches
One hectare is 10,000 m². Divided by 7,140 m², that makes around 1.4 football pitches per hectare. Put the other way round, a football pitch is about 0.7 hectares, and one square kilometre equals around 140 football pitches. Handy next time the news describes an area ‘in football pitches’.
Youth football pitch sizes in Switzerland
Children only move onto a full-size pitch in the C juniors; before that they play on small-sided and medium-sized pitches: the younger the players, the smaller the pitch and the fewer players per team. That way every child gets lots of touches on the ball. The guide values come from the Swiss Football Association's (SFV) implementing provisions for the 2026/27 season. Which birth year plays in which category is explained in our overview Youth football categories in Switzerland 2026/27.
| Category | Game format | Pitch | Goal | Ball |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 2v2 / 3v3, no goalkeeper | approx. 20 × 15 m | Mini goals | Size 3/4, 290 g |
| F | 3v3 | approx. 25 × 20 m | Mini goals | Size 4, 290 g |
| F | 4v4, with goalkeeper | approx. 30 × 25 m | 5 × 2 m | Size 4, 290 g |
| E | 6v6 | 43–48 × 25–30 m | 5 × 2 m | Size 4 |
| D-7 | 7v7 | approx. 55 × 35 m | 5 × 2 m | Size 4, 360 g |
| D-9 | 9v9 | approx. 68 × 52 m | 5 × 2 m | Size 4, 360 g |
| C, B, A | 11v11 | approx. 100 × 64 m | 7.32 × 2.44 m | Size 5, 420 g |
The comparison shows how big the jumps are: a G pitch covers only around 4% of the area of a full-size pitch. At 68 × 52 m, a D-9 pitch is almost exactly half a full-size pitch. And moving up to the C juniors almost doubles the area once again.
Football goal size and dimensions
A standard football goal measures 7.32 m wide and 2.44 m high on the inside. These numbers also come from England: exactly 8 yards by 8 feet. The posts and crossbar must be white and no more than 12 cm wide.
| Goal | Width × height | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| Full-size goal | 7.32 × 2.44 m | C to A juniors and adults |
| Youth goal | 5 × 2 m | F juniors (4v4), E and D juniors |
| Futsal goal | 3 × 2 m | Futsal |
G juniors and F juniors playing 3v3 use mini goals without a goalkeeper. Which ball size applies in each category is shown in the youth table above and in our article Youth football categories in Switzerland.
Indoor football and futsal: pitch size
Futsal is the official indoor version of football, with its own FIFA Laws of the Game. The pitch and goals are much smaller than outdoors:
| Futsal | Dimension |
|---|---|
| Length (touchline) | 25–42 m, international 38–42 m |
| Width (goal line) | 16–25 m, international 20–25 m |
| Goal | 3 × 2 m |
| Penalty area | extends 6 m into the pitch |
| Penalty mark | 6 m from the goal, second penalty mark at 10 m |
| Centre circle | radius 3 m |
| Line width | 8 cm |
Our 360Footballarena in Oberembrach, close to Zurich Airport, has a 25 × 20 m pitch. That's the size of an F-junior 3v3 pitch and ideal for group training sessions and events.
Printable football pitch (PDF)
For tactics on paper: download our blank football pitch as a PDF. It's A4 landscape, drawn to scale (105 × 68 m) and printer-friendly thanks to light lines.
Coaches use it to draw line-ups, runs and set pieces. Players can sketch their position and their tasks and go through them again before a match.
→ Download the football pitch as a PDF (A4 landscape)
Frequently asked questions
How big is a football pitch in Switzerland?
Switzerland uses the same Laws of the Game as everywhere else: 90 to 120 m long and 45 to 90 m wide. The standard size is 105 × 68 m. Youth teams play on smaller pitches up to and including the D juniors, and on a full-size pitch (approx. 100 × 64 m) from the C juniors.
How long is a football pitch?
A football pitch is 90 to 120 m long, or 100 to 110 m for international matches. The standard pitch recommended by FIFA is 105 m long and 68 m wide.
How many square metres is a football pitch?
A standard 105 × 68 m pitch covers 7,140 m². Depending on its size, a pitch can range from 4,050 m² (90 × 45 m) to 10,800 m² (120 × 90 m).
How many football pitches are in 1 hectare?
Around 1.4. One hectare is 10,000 m², a standard pitch 7,140 m². So a football pitch is about 0.7 hectares.
How big is the penalty area (18-yard box)?
The penalty area is 40.32 m wide and 16.5 m deep, which is around 665 m². In German it's called the ‘16-metre box’ after its rounded-down depth, but it's exactly 16.5 m, or 18 yards.
How big is a football goal?
A standard football goal is 7.32 m wide and 2.44 m high (inside measurement). Youth goals for F juniors (4v4), E and D juniors measure 5 × 2 m, futsal goals 3 × 2 m.
How big is a small-sided pitch in youth football?
It depends on the category: G juniors play on approx. 20 × 15 m, F juniors on approx. 25 × 20 m (3v3) or 30 × 25 m (4v4), E juniors on 43–48 × 25–30 m. D juniors play on approx. 55 × 35 m (D-7) or 68 × 52 m (D-9).
How big is a futsal pitch?
A futsal pitch is 25 to 42 m long and 16 to 25 m wide, or 38 to 42 m long and 20 to 25 m wide for international matches. The goals measure 3 × 2 m.
Ready for a bigger pitch? Every step up to a bigger pitch means more space, more speed and longer distances. In 360Football personal training, our coaches work specifically on what you need for it: keeping the ball under pressure, speed, understanding of the game and finishing. One-to-one or in small groups, at 16 locations.
Sources: IFAB, Laws of the Game 2026/27, Law 1 – The Field of Play · FIFA, Football Stadiums Guidelines, 5.3 Pitch dimensions and surrounding areas (page in German) · FIFA, Futsal Laws of the Game 2025/26, Law 1 · SFV, Ausführungsbestimmungen Kinder- und Jugendfussball 2026/27 (implementing provisions for children's and youth football, PDF in German). Last updated: October 2026.
