This article will tell you all about a football field’s dimensions. Though there are small variations in these dimensions at different levels, they are not very significant.
The dimensions of a football field vary slightly depending on the level that the game is being played at. When we speak of football, here, we are naturally referring to American Football, and different professional levels make use of different dimensions for the fields. It would be unfair on players at every level to play on one standard size, and this is the reason for these differences. Then again, the differences are minor, and do not change the shape or the functionality of the field in any way.
American Football Field
Before we delve into the dimensions, let us first see what the field itself looks like. The field is rectangular in shape, and the longer sides are known as the sidelines, whereas, the shorter ones are known as the end lines. At the center of each end line are the goal posts, and the line on which these lie is known as the goal line. The distance between a goal line and an end line is 20 yards, and the area between them is known as the end zone.
Parallel to the goal line, there is a line every 5 yards. These lines are numbered every 10 yards till the opposition goal line. The numbering from goal line to goal line is: -10, -20, -30, -40, -50, 0, -50, -40, -30, -20, and -10. There are two lines perpendicular to the end lines, in the middle of the pitch. These 4 lines (counting the 2 sidelines) divide the pitch into 3 equal parts.
Dimensions
| Designated Area | Dimensions in Yards | Dimensions in Meters |
| Length | 120 yards | 109.7 meters |
| Width | 53 1/2 yards | 49 meters |
| End Zone Depth | 10 yards | 9.14 meters |
| Goal Posts Height | 3.33 yards (10 feet) | 3.04 meters |
| Goal Posts Width | 7.8 yards (23.4 feet) for High School and 6.2 yards (18.6 feet) for College, NFL, and CFL | 7.13 meters for High School, and 5.67 meters for College, NFL, and CFL |
| Distance Between Opposite Goal Posts | 100 yards | 91.4 meters |
Dimensions of a high school football field will vary from the dimensions of a college field, and these in turn vary from the NFL dimensions. The dimensions for NFL are the toughest, because this is the highest level at which a professional football player can play. Many levels of youth football also employ differing dimensions, depending on the average age of the players in the level.
People who play the game professionally on a day-to-day basis are familiar with additional dimensions like the restraining line, hash lines, etc. But for someone who is new to this sport, these basic dimensions should provide enough information.
