The Dimensions of a Regulatory Soccer Field

A physical education report paper...


Soccer is considered to most popular sport in the world. It is played by people of all ages in approximately 200 countries. All good sports have to have good playing grounds, and soccer is no exception. In this essay I will explain the regulation soccer field.

A soccer field is rectangular in shape. The field is usually all covered with grass. However, there are also many soccer fields that are covered with Astroturf. Like a baseball field, there are no exact measurements that a soccer field has to have for its length and width. But the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) requires an official soccer field always to be between 90 and 120 meters in length and between 45 to 90 meters in width. Since the point of the game is to score as many points as possible, the goals are a very important part of the soccer field. FIFA requires that all goals be exactly the same size. These goals are 7.32 meters wide and 2.44 meters high and are placed at opposite ends of the playing field. Attached to the goal post is a nylon mesh net used to trap the ball if a goal is scored.

Much like every other professional sports field, there are many markings on a soccer field. The end lines and the sidelines run around the perimeter of the field. They confine the area of play. If the ball rolls out of bounds off of the sidelines, the team opposing team of the one that kicked the ball out it rewarded a throw-in. If the ball is kicked out of bounds off of the end lines, one of two things can happen. If the ball was kicked out of bounds by the offense, the goalie may kick the ball back into play from one of the corners of the goal area. This kick is called a goal kick. If the defense kicks to ball out off of the end line, the offense gets a corner kick. This is where a player from the offense gets a free kick in from one of the corners of the field. Even though all of these markings on the field are important, probably the most important field markings are the penalty areas. The penalty areas lie at each end of the soccer field directly in front of the goals. They measure 40.32 meters long and extend 16.5 meters into the field. Within this area a goalie can use his hands to handle the ball at anytime. But once he leaves this area, he can no longer use his hands. If a player commits a major foul in the penalty area, the other team is given a penalty kick. Fouls that would result in a penalty kick are: intentionally kicking, tripping, or jumping at an opponent; violently charging, striking, holding, pushing, or spitting at an opponent; tackling an opponent without the ball; or touching the ball with the hands.

A good sports field has to have consistency and accuracy in order to have a good game. Soccer is a game that shows how important accuracy and field markings are to a sport.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.