A football pitch (also known as a football field, soccer field or soccer pitch)[1] is the playing surface for the game of association football. Its dimensions and markings are defined by Law 1 of the Laws of the Game, "The Field of Play".[2] The pitch is typically made of natural turf or artificial turf, although amateur and recreational teams often play on dirt fields. Artificial surfaces are allowed only to be green in colour.
All line markings on the pitch form part of the area which they define. For example, a ball on or above the touchline is still on the field of play, and a foul committed over the line bounding the penalty area results in a penalty. Therefore, a ball has to completely cross the touchline to be out of play, and a ball has to wholly cross the goal line (between the goal posts) in order for a goal to be scored; if any part of the ball is still on or above the line, a goal is not scored and the ball is still in play.
The field descriptions that apply to adult matches are described below. Because of the role of the British football associations in the history of the game, the dimensions of the field of play were originally formulated and expressed in imperial units. Since 1997, the Laws of the Game have preferred metric units, with imperial equivalents given only in brackets. Because the actual values have, in general, not changed since the early twentieth century, they tend to be round numbers in imperial units (for example the width of the goal, unchanged since 1863, is 8 yards or 7.32 metres). Use of the imperial values remains common, especially in the United Kingdom.
Pitch boundary
The pitch is rectangular in shape. The longer sides are called touchlines and the shorter sides are called the goal lines. The two goal lines are between 45 and 90 m (50 and 100 yd) wide and have to be of the same length.[3] The two touchlines are between 90 and 120 m (100 and 130 yd) long and have to be of the same length.[3] All lines on the ground are equally wide, not to exceed 12 cm (5 in).[3] The corners of the pitch are marked by corner flags.[4]
For international matches the field dimensions are more tightly constrained; the goal lines are between 64 and 75m wide (70 and 82yds) and the touchlines are between 100 and 110 m (110 and 120 yd) long.[3]The majority of top-level professional football pitches, including those belonging to teams in the English Premier League, measure 112 yards (102.4m) to 115 (105.2m) yards long and 70 yards (64.0m) to 75 yards (68.6m) wide.[5]
Although the term goal line is often taken to mean only that part of the line between the goalposts, in fact it refers to the complete line at either end of the pitch, from one corner flag to the other. In contrast the term byline (or by-line) is often used to refer to that portion of the goal line outside the goalposts. This term is commonly used in football commentaries and match descriptions, such as this example from a BBC match report: "Udeze gets to the left byline and his looping cross is cleared..."[6]
Goals are placed at the centre of each goal-line.[7] These consist of two upright posts placed equidistant from the corner flagposts, joined at the top by a horizontal crossbar. The inner edges of the posts are regulated to be 7.32 metres (24 ft) (wide) apart, and the lower edge of the crossbar is elevated to 2.44 metres (8 ft) above the pitch. As a result, the area that players shoot at is 17.86 sq. metres (192 sq. feet).[8] Nets are usually placed behind the goal, though are not required by the Laws.
Goalposts and crossbars have to be white, and made of wood, metal or other approved material. Rules regarding the shape of goalposts and crossbars are somewhat more lenient, but they have to conform to a shape that does not pose a threat to players. Since the beginning of football there have always been goalposts, but the crossbar was not invented until 1875, before which a string between the goalposts was used.[9]
A goal is scored when the ball wholly crosses the goal line between the goal-posts and beneath the crossbar, even if a defending player last touched the ball before it crossed the goal line (see own goal). A goal may, however, be ruled illegal (and void by the referee) if the player who scored or a member of their team commits an offence under any of the laws between the time the ball was previously out of play and the goal being scored. It is also deemed void if a player on the opposing team commits an offence before the ball has passed the line, as in the case of fouls being committed, a penalty awarded but the ball continued on a path that caused it to cross the goal line.
The football goal size for a junior match goal is approximately half the size of an adult sized match goal.
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