Football Soccer Laws - Law No 1 - The Field of Play
Field surface
Matches may be played on natural or artificial surfaces, according to the rules of the competition.
Dimensions
The field of play must be rectangular. The length of the touch line must be greater than the length of the goal line.
Minimum
Length: 90 m (100 yds)
Width: 45 m (50 yds)
Maximum
Length: 120 m (130 yds)
Width: 90 m (100 yds)
International Matches
Minimum
Length: 100 m (110 yds)
Width: 64 m (70 yds)
Maximum
Length: 110 m (120 yds)
Width: 75 m (80 yds)
- The field of play is marked with lines. These lines belong to the areas of which they are boundaries.
- The two longer boundary lines are called touch lines. The two shorter lines are called goal lines.
- All lines are not more than 12 cm (5 ins) wide.
- The field of play is divided into two halves by a halfway line.
- The centre mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway line.
- A circle with a radius of 9.15 m (10 yds) is marked around it.
A goal area is defined at each end of the field as follows:
- Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 5.5 m (6 yds) from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of 5.5 m (6 yds) and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line.
- The area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the goal area.
- A penalty area is defined at each end of the field as follows:
Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 16.5 m (18 yds) from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of 16.5 m (18 yds) and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the penalty area. - Within each penalty area, a penalty mark is made 11 m (12 yds) from the midpoint between the goalposts and equidistant to them. An arc of a circle with a radius of 9.15 m (10 yds) from each penalty mark is drawn outside the penalty area.
- A flagpost, not less than 1.5 m (5 ft) high, with a non-pointed top and a flag is placed at each corner.
- Flagposts may also be placed at each end of the halfway line, not less than 1 m (1 yd) outside the touch line.
- A quarter circle with a radius of 1 m (1 yd) from each corner flagpost is drawn inside the field of play.
- Goals must be placed on the centre of each goal line.
- They consist of two upright posts equidistant from the corner flagposts and joined at the top by a horizontal crossbar.
- The distance between the posts is 7.32 m (8 yds) and the distance from the lower edge of the crossbar to the ground is 2.44 m (8 ft).
- Both goalposts and the crossbar have the same width and depth, which do not exceed 12 cm (5 ins). The goal lines are the same width as that of the goalposts and the crossbar. Nets may be attached to the goals and the ground behind the goal, provided that they are properly supported and do not interfere with the goalkeeper.
- The goalposts and crossbars must be white.
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