Interesting facts about soccer fields

Given that soccer is probably the most popular team ball game in the world, one would think that all the rules and regulations for this sport would have been formed and known from the very beginning, or at least that there would be some definite, universally accepted rules. and applied. This is partially true, as when it comes to terms like off, goal kick, free kick, etc., we all understand exactly the same thing. However, there is an interesting detail when it comes to the length and size of the field.

The size of the field, when soccer was first introduced, was not defined and even the layout could be different even within the same country, which practically meant that someone could play on an 80-yard field and another person on an 80-yard field. 100 yards. This fact was not only strange but also unfair to the players, which is why the first Football Association, founded by the British in the 19th century, introduced the first guidelines for the proper length, and years later FIFA established the rules. and they currently exist.

Although the existing rules now allow some type of variation in size: the field has to be rectangular (this rule cannot change and does not imply any type of variation), the length cannot be less than 100 yards (90 m). ), and not greater than 130 (120 m) and its beam cannot be less than 50 (45 m), nor more than 100 yards (90 m). For international games this is a little more limited: the length cannot be more than 120 yards (110 m) nor less than 110 yards (100 m), and the width cannot be more than 80 yards (75 m) or less than 70 yards. (64 meter).

In any case, however, the length must always exceed the width. However, in modern soccer, rarely can anyone see large variances, so more or less all pitches are roughly the same size without reaching the maximum suggested and allowed. However, the size should be reduced when it comes to women’s football or pitches allocated for players under 16 or disabled.

Except for the size of the outside lines, there are rules that apply to the inside lines of the soccer field as well. According to them, the field is separated by a center line, which is exactly the same distance from each of the wide ends. There is always a circle, located in the middle of this line and its diameter must be 10 yards.

The goalposts are placed in the middle of the width of each field and must be 24 feet wide and 8 feet high and are surrounded by two rectangular boxes: the largest, called the penalty area because each foul in this area results in a penalty shot, it is 18 yards wide and 44 long.

The small box, called the buffer area, is 6 yards wide and long. Another interesting rule about the size of the inside lines of the field is that around the ends of the corners is a flag placed in a circle 1 yard (0.914 m) in diameter – this is where the corner kick is taken.

There is a lot of research and analysis on the length of the soccer field; most of them converge on the point that larger pitches are better suited for players with better stamina and speedy ones who tend to kick the ball forward and run, making things difficult for defenders, while smaller ones do. they are and allow for more touches and more fun. (That’s why recreational and non-professional ones are usually smaller).

On a bigger field players have to run more which can affect their game as they can easily wear themselves out and end up playing long kicks and make the game boring and degenerate. Longer and larger pitches demand better coordination and coverage between the teams’ lines, otherwise opponents have a better chance of organizing their play and reaching the goalposts becoming dangerous.