Introduction: Official FIFA Football Field
Hello Friends! Let’s talk about Official FIFA Football Field, more precisely about the official Football field, its size, measures, and related rules, a complete guide to clear all your doubts about the Football field, all according to the BFC (Brazilian Football Confederation) official rules book.
Playing surface
The field of play must have a completely natural surface or, if competition rules permit, a completely non-natural surface (artificial grass). Also, if competition regulations permit, the field of play may be both natural and artificial – hybrid system (There cannot be one area of the field with natural grass and another with non-natural grass).
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The color of artificial surfaces (synthetic grass) should be green.
The Marking of the Football Field
The Shape of the Field
The playing field must be rectangular and marked with continuous lines that cannot constitute any danger. The demarcation lines of natural grass fields may be made with artificial grass, provided that they do not constitute a hazard.
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The lines are an integral part of the areas they delimit.
Sidelines and Background Lines
The two longer marking lines are called sidelines. The two shorter ones are called the goal or end lines. The field of play is divided into two halves (midfield) by a midfield line (center line) that joins the midpoints of the sidelines.
The Football Field Center
The center of the field is marked with a point in the middle of the midfield line, around which a circle with a radius of 311,6 ft is drawn.
The Size of the Lines
All lines marking the field of play must be of the same width and must be no wider than 472,4 in. The goal line must be the same width as the goalposts and crossbars.
Dimensions: how big is the Football field?
The length of the sidelines should be longer than the goal lines.
Length (side lines):
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Minimum: 295,2 ft
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Maximum: 393,7 ft
Length (goal lines):
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Minimum: 147,6 ft
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Maximum: 295,2 ft
Dimensions for international games
Length (side lines):
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Minimum: 328 ft
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Maximum: 360,8 ft
Length (goal lines):
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Minimum: 209,9 ft
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Maximum: 246 ft
Competition organizers may determine the length of the goal line and sidelines within the above limits.
Target area (small area)
Two lines are drawn perpendicular to the goal line (touchline) 1804,4 ft, from the inside of each goalpost. These two lines extend into the field of play by 1804,4 ft and are joined by a line parallel to the goal line.
Penal area (major area)
Two lines are drawn perpendicular to the goal line (touchline) 541,3 ft, from the inside of each goalpost. These two lines extend into the field of play for 541,3 ft and are joined by a line drawn parallel to the goal line.
Penalty Mark
In each penalty area the penalty kick mark will be made 377,2 ft from the line joining the two goal posts and equidistant from them.
Outside each penalty area, an arc of a circle (half-moon of the penalty area) with a radius of 3001,9 ft is drawn, with the penalty mark as its center.
Corner shooting area
The corner shooting area is marked by a quarter circle with a radius of 3,2 ft, starting from each corner flag and inside the field.
Flagpoles (Bandeirinhas)
In each corner of the playing field, a flag post (corner flag) must be placed, with a minimum height of 49,2 ft whose tip may not be pointed and on which flags must be placed.
Poles and flags may also be placed in the middle of the field, at least 3,2 ft away from the sidelines out of the field.
Technical Area (Reserve Bank)
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The technical areas of the benches may extend no more than 3,2 ft either side of the existing seats and be at least 3,2 ft away from the touchline;
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It is recommended to use markings to delimit the technical areas;
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The number of people allowed to use the technical areas must be defined in the competition rules;
Goals or Beams
The goals or crossbars are placed in the center of each goal line and consist of two vertical posts equidistant from the corner flags and joined at the top by a horizontal crossbar (crossbar).
The poles and bar must be of approved material. They shall be square, rectangular, round or elliptical in shape and shall not constitute any hazard.
What Size for Football Goalposts?
The distance between the two posts is 2401,5 ft, and the distance from the lower edge of the crossbar to the ground is 800,5 ft.
The goalposts and crossbar must be white in color and must be of the same width and thickness, not exceeding 4,7 in.
If the crossbar breaks or is displaced, play must be stopped until it is repaired or put back in place. If the crossbar cannot be repaired, play must be terminated. The use of a rope or any other flexible or dangerous material to replace the crossbar is not permitted. Play must be restarted with a ground ball.
Nets can be attached to the goals and to the ground behind the goals, as long as they are properly supported and do not interfere with the goalkeepers’ actions.
Security
Goals (including mobile ones) must be securely anchored to the floor
Commercial Advertising in the Field
Any type of commercial advertising, real or virtual, is forbidden on the Football field of play, in the space delimited by the goal nets, in the technical areas, and less than one meter from the field boundary lines, from the moment the teams enter the field of play until they leave for halftime, and from the moment they return after halftime until the end of the game.
In particular, it is forbidden to use any kind of advertising on the goals, goal nets, corner posts and flags, where no kind of equipment (cameras, microphones, etc.) may be attached.
In addition, vertical advertising should be at a minimum:
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3,2 ft from the lateral lines of the playing field;
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the same distance from the goal line that is equal to the depth of the goal net;
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3,2 ft away from the goal net.