Guides

Football pitch sizes, 5-a-side to 11-a-side

There's no single size for a football pitch at any level: the rules give a range, and venues build what fits. These are the FA's recommended dimensions for each format, in metres, yards and feet.

5-a-side and 6-a-side pitch size

The FA's small-sided laws recommend the same range for 5-a-side and 6-a-side, and it's a wide one, which is why two five-a-side centres rarely feel the same.

  • Length: 25 to 50 metres (27 to 55 yards, 82 to 164 feet).
  • Width: 16 to 35 metres (17 to 38 yards, 52 to 115 feet).
  • Penalty area: a semicircle with a 6 metre radius from the middle of the goal line.
  • Penalty mark: 6 metres from the middle of the goal.
  • Goals: 3 to 5 metres wide and 1.2 to 2 metres high.

7-a-side pitch size

For adult 7-a-side, the same FA small-sided laws recommend a bigger pitch:

  • Length: 50 to 60 metres (55 to 66 yards, 164 to 197 feet).
  • Width: 30 to 40 metres (33 to 44 yards, 98 to 131 feet).

Youth pitch sizes: 5v5, 7v7 and 9v9

For children's football in England, the FA recommends one size per age group. Sizes are length by width; goals are width by height.

  • 5v5, under-7s and under-8s: 40 by 30 yards (about 37 by 27 metres). Goals 12 by 6 feet.
  • 7v7, under-9s and under-10s: 60 by 40 yards (about 55 by 37 metres). Goals 12 by 6 feet.
  • 9v9, under-11s and under-12s: 80 by 50 yards (about 73 by 46 metres). Goals 16 by 7 feet.
  • 11v11, under-13s and under-14s: 90 by 55 yards (about 82 by 50 metres). Goals 21 by 7 feet.
  • 11v11, under-15s and under-16s: 100 by 60 yards (about 91 by 55 metres). Goals 24 by 8 feet.

11-a-side pitch size

The Laws of the Game give a range for a full-size pitch: 90 to 120 metres long (100 to 130 yards) and 45 to 90 metres wide (50 to 100 yards). The touchline must be longer than the goal line.

For adults and under-17s upwards, the FA's recommended size is 110 by 70 yards (about 100 by 64 metres). Full-size goals are 8 yards wide and 8 feet high (7.32 by 2.44 metres).

What the size means for your game

A small pitch suits fewer players and a quicker, tighter game; a big one rewards fitness. If your five-a-side feels like nobody can get out of their half, it's probably a small pitch with a full ten on it. If it's all long balls and tired legs, you're on a 7-a-side pitch with too few.

So match the numbers to the pitch you've got: play 6-a-side on a big five-a-side pitch when 12 turn up, rather than leaving two on the side. The team generator splits any number into two fair sides, and there's a guide to the usual rules for 5-a-side, 6-a-side and 7-a-side.

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Questions

What size is a 5-a-side pitch?

The FA recommends 25 to 50 metres long and 16 to 35 metres wide for adult 5-a-side. For under-7s and under-8s playing 5v5, the recommended pitch is 40 by 30 yards.

What size is a 5-a-side pitch in feet?

The FA's recommended range of 25 to 50 metres by 16 to 35 metres is about 82 to 164 feet long and 52 to 115 feet wide. The 40 by 30 yard youth pitch is 120 by 90 feet.

What size is a 7-a-side pitch?

For adults, the FA recommends 50 to 60 metres long and 30 to 40 metres wide. For under-9s and under-10s playing 7v7, the recommended pitch is 60 by 40 yards.

What size is a 9-a-side pitch?

The FA recommends 80 by 50 yards (about 73 by 46 metres) for 9v9, which is played by under-11s and under-12s, with goals 16 feet wide and 7 feet high.

How big is a full-size football pitch?

Between 90 and 120 metres long and 45 and 90 metres wide under the Laws of the Game. The FA's recommended adult pitch is 110 by 70 yards, about 100 by 64 metres.

Is a 6-a-side pitch bigger than a 5-a-side pitch?

Not by rule: the FA gives one recommended range for both. In practice venues often put 6-a-side on their larger pitches.