Every soccer enthusiast has their take on what makes a match truly memorable, be it the players, the tactics, or the roaring fans. But there’s an often-overlooked factor that can make or break a game: the pitch itself.
In this deep dive, we’ve analyzed the dimensions of 70 top soccer stadiums worldwide, and the results might just surprise you. Some clubs enjoy the luxury of a larger pitch, giving them an edge, while others are cramped into smaller spaces, changing the dynamics of the game.
After our analysis, we came to the following conclusion:
Not all soccer fields are the same size. However, the average soccer field is 105mx68m (115×74 yards) since that is the official FIFA recommendation.
Sure, they might look the same on TV, but the reality is far from it. From the vast expanses of Camp Nou to the tighter confines of other arenas, pitch sizes vary, and it’s about time we acknowledged it.
This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about understanding the very fabric of the sport. So, for those who think a field is just a field, think again. Strap in because we’re about to challenge everything you thought you knew about soccer pitches.
The official FIFA recommendation
Let’s get one thing straight: FIFA doesn’t mess around regarding the field of play. They’ve set clear, no-nonsense guidelines that everyone should ideally follow, from Sunday league teams to World Cup finalists.
According to FIFA’s official documentation, the field’s length (touchline) should be a minimum of 90 meters and a maximum of 120 meters. As for the width (goal line), it should be at least 45 meters and not more than 90 meters.
For international matches, the dimensions are slightly stricter: the length should be between 100-110 meters and the width between 64-75 meters.
Not only that, but FIFA also has their official recommendation, which is 105m in length and 68m in width.
The goalposts? They’re not left to the imagination either. They should be 7.32 meters apart and 2.44 meters high. And no, you can’t just paint any box in front of the goal and call it a penalty area. The penalty area must be 40.3 meters wide and 16.5 meters from the goal line to the edge of the area.
Now, while these might seem like just numbers, they’re crucial. A larger field can tire players out, favoring teams with high stamina, while a smaller one can make the game more compact and tactical. So, the next time someone says “a field is a field,” you can tell them it’s not that simple. FIFA has made sure of that.
Here is why they are not the same size
After some thinking, I came up with five reasons for this explanation:
Historical Variations
The roots of soccer stretch back centuries, long before the establishment of standardized rules or field dimensions. In the early days, local customs, traditions, and available spaces dictated the size of the playing area. Villages and towns had their own interpretations of the game, leading to vast differences in pitch sizes.
Imagine a time when neighboring towns could have fields that differed by tens of meters, all because of a local preference or a historic event that shaped their version of the game. This rich tapestry of historical variations laid the foundation for the diverse range of field sizes we see today.
FIFA’s Flexibility
While FIFA, the governing body of world football, has set guidelines, they’ve also shown a surprising amount of flexibility. The allowed range for field dimensions is quite broad, with lengths varying from 90 to 120 meters and widths from 45 to 90 meters.
This isn’t just FIFA being indecisive; it’s a nod to the sport’s rich history and a pragmatic approach to modern challenges. By allowing such flexibility, FIFA ensures that stadiums built before these regulations, or those with unique architectural challenges, can still be part of the beautiful game’s legacy.
Tactical Advantages
Soccer is as much a game of strategy as it is of skill. The size of the field can be a tactical tool. Teams might tweak their home field’s dimensions to play to their strengths or exploit opponents’ weaknesses.
A team with speedy wingers might prefer a wider pitch to stretch the opposition, while a side that plays a compact, high-pressing game might opt for a smaller field to congest space. It’s a chess match, with grass and lines instead of a board and pieces.
Stadium Constraints
Not every stadium is a modern architectural marvel with limitless space. Especially in older cities, stadiums are often wedged into tight spaces, surrounded by urban infrastructure. Older stadiums, built with different considerations and priorities, might not have the luxury of expansive fields. Instead, they offer a unique charm, a sense of history, and, yes, a smaller playing surface that can give home teams a distinct advantage.
Maintenance and Upkeep
Maintaining a pristine soccer field is no small task. It’s not just about mowing the grass; it’s about ensuring the pitch remains consistent, the drainage is optimal, and the turf is free from pests and diseases.
A larger field naturally demands more resources in terms of manpower and costs. Some clubs, especially those without the financial muscle of top-tier teams, might opt for a size that balances competitive advantage and maintenance feasibility.
Soccer field’s dimensions sorted by league
La Liga (Spain)
| Stadium Name | Location | Pitch Dimensions (Length x Width) | Club |
| Camp Nou | Barcelona | 105m x 68m | FC Barcelona |
| Santiago Bernabéu | Madrid | 105m x 68m | Real Madrid CF |
| Mestalla | Valencia | 105m x 70m | Valencia CF |
| San Mamés | Bilbao | 105m x 68m | Athletic Bilbao |
| Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán | Seville | 105m x 68m | Sevilla FC |
| Wanda Metropolitano | Madrid | 105m x 68m | Atlético Madrid |
| Benito Villamarín | Seville | 105m x 68m | Real Betis |
| Coliseum Alfonso Pérez | Getafe | 105m x 69m | Getafe CF |
| Ciutat de València | Valencia | 107m x 68m | Levante UD |
| El Sadar | Pamplona | 104m x 67m | CA Osasuna |
Premier League (England)
| Stadium Name | Location | Pitch Dimensions (Length x Width) | Club |
| Old Trafford | Manchester | 105m x 68m | Manchester United |
| Anfield | Liverpool | 101m x 68m | Liverpool FC |
| Stamford Bridge | London | 103m x 67m | Chelsea FC |
| Emirates Stadium | London | 105m x 68m | Arsenal FC |
| Etihad Stadium | Manchester | 105m x 68m | Manchester City |
| King Power Stadium | Leicester | 105m x 68m | Leicester City |
| Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | London | 105m x 68m | Tottenham Hotspur |
| St. James’ Park | Newcastle | 105m x 68m | Newcastle United |
| Elland Road | Leeds | 105m x 68m | Leeds United |
| Villa Park | Birmingham | 105m x 68m | Aston Villa |
Serie A (Italy)
| Stadium Name | Location | Pitch Dimensions (Length x Width) | Club |
| San Siro | Milan | 105m x 68m | AC Milan, Inter Milan |
| Olimpico | Rome | 105m x 66m | AS Roma, SS Lazio |
| Juventus Stadium | Turin | 105m x 68m | Juventus |
| Stadio Artemio Franchi | Florence | 105m x 68m | ACF Fiorentina |
| Stadio Diego Armando Maradona | Naples | 110m x 68m | SSC Napoli |
| Stadio Renato Dall’Ara | Bologna | 105m x 68m | Bologna FC |
| Stadio Luigi Ferraris | Genoa | 105m x 68m | Genoa CFC, UC Sampdoria |
| Stadio Ennio Tardini | Parma | 105m x 68m | Parma Calcio 1913 |
| Stadio Friuli | Udine | 105m x 68m | Udinese Calcio |
| Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino | Turin | 105m x 68m | Torino FC |
Bundesliga (Germany)
| Stadium Name | Location | Pitch Dimensions (Length x Width) | Club |
| Allianz Arena | Munich | 105m x 68m | FC Bayern Munich |
| Signal Iduna Park | Dortmund | 105m x 68m | Borussia Dortmund |
| Veltins-Arena | Gelsenkirchen | 105m x 68m | FC Schalke 04 |
| Mercedes-Benz Arena | Stuttgart | 105m x 68m | VfB Stuttgart |
| Volksparkstadion | Hamburg | 105m x 68m | Hamburger SV |
| Weserstadion | Bremen | 105m x 68m | Werder Bremen |
| BayArena | Leverkusen | 105m x 68m | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Opel Arena | Mainz | 105m x 68m | 1. FSV Mainz 05 |
| Red Bull Arena | Leipzig | 105m x 68m | RB Leipzig |
| Borussia-Park | Mönchengladbach | 105m x 68m | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
Ligue 1 (France)
| Stadium Name | Location | Pitch Dimensions (Length x Width) | Club |
| Parc des Princes | Paris | 105m x 68m | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Stade Vélodrome | Marseille | 105m x 68m | Olympique de Marseille |
| Groupama Stadium | Lyon | 105m x 68m | Olympique Lyonnais |
| Stade Pierre-Mauroy | Lille | 105m x 68m | LOSC Lille |
| Stade de la Beaujoire | Nantes | 105m x 68m | FC Nantes |
| Stade Geoffroy-Guichard | Saint-Étienne | 105m x 68m | AS Saint-Étienne |
| Matmut Atlantique | Bordeaux | 105m x 68m | Girondins de Bordeaux |
| Stade de la Meinau | Strasbourg | 105m x 68m | RC Strasbourg Alsace |
| Stade Auguste-Delaune | Reims | 105m x 68m | Stade de Reims |
| Roazhon Park | Rennes | 105m x 68m | Stade Rennais FC |
Major League Soccer (USA & Canada)
| Stadium Name | Location | Pitch Dimensions (Length x Width) | Club |
| Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, GA | 105m x 69m | Atlanta United FC |
| Banc of California Stadium | Los Angeles, CA | 105m x 68m | Los Angeles FC |
| Dignity Health Sports Park | Carson, CA | 110m x 69m | LA Galaxy |
| Providence Park | Portland, OR | 101m x 69m | Portland Timbers |
| Exploria Stadium | Orlando, FL | 110m x 69m | Orlando City SC |
| Red Bull Arena | Harrison, NJ | 110m x 69m | New York Red Bulls |
| Audi Field | Washington, D.C. | 105m x 69m | D.C. United |
| Allianz Field | Saint Paul, MN | 110m x 69m | Minnesota United FC |
| Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS | 110m x 69m | Sporting Kansas City |
| BBVA Stadium | Houston, TX | 105m x 67m | Houston Dynamo |
Stadiums from Around the World
| Stadium Name | Location | Pitch Dimensions (Length x Width) | Club/National Team |
| Maracanã | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 105m x 68m | Brazil National Team, Flamengo, Fluminense |
| Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | 105m x 68m | Mexico National Team, Club América |
| La Bombonera | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 105m x 68m | Boca Juniors |
| Monumental | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 105m x 68m | River Plate |
| FNB Stadium (Soccer City) | Johannesburg, South Africa | 105m x 68m | South Africa National Team, Kaizer Chiefs |
| National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) | Beijing, China | 105m x 68m | China National Team |
| Rajamangala Stadium | Bangkok, Thailand | 105m x 68m | Thailand National Team |
| Saitama Stadium | Saitama, Japan | 105m x 68m | Urawa Red Diamonds |
| Estadio Nacional | Lima, Peru | 105m x 70m | Peru National Team |
| King Abdullah Sports City | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 105m x 68m | Saudi Arabia National Team, Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad |
Recommended: Soccer Player Average Retirement Age (+100 Players Analysis)
