Soccer Field Markings Explained

The markings on a soccer field may be confusing for those that are unfamiliar with the sport. Some markings are essential to the game, while other markings are rarely used. In this article, we will look at all of the field markings individually, and explain their purpose.

Touchlines and Goal lines

The touchlines and the goal lines mark the boundaries of the soccer field. The touchlines must be longer than the goal lines and the dimensions must fall within defined ranges.

If the whole of the ball crosses over the touchline or goal line then the ball is out of play and must be restarted by a variety of methods.

• If the ball exits the field of play by crossing over a goal line, then the game can be restarted by a goal kick or a corner kick, depending on which team had the last touch of the ball before it left the field.
• If the ball exits the field of play by crossing over a touchline, then the game will be restarted with a throw-in.

Goal area

The goal area is an area that extends from both goals on a soccer field. Each goal area extends 6 yards (5.5 meters) from the goal line and has a width of 20 yards (18.3 meters). The goal area is used to designate an area where a goal kick can be taken to restart the game for the defensive team.

Because of the dimensions, the goal line is also commonly referred to as the "6-yard box".

Penalty area and Penalty spot

The penalty area is probably the most important marking on the soccer field, as it can have the biggest influence on the outcome of a game. The penalty area extends 18 yards (16.5 meters) from both goals, and has a width of 44 yards (40 meters).

Within each penalty area is a penalty spot, which is positioned 12 yards (11 meters) from the center of the goal.

If any player commits a direct free-kick offense inside the boundaries of their own penalty area, then a penalty kick will be awarded. The penalty kick will be taken from the penalty spot.

The penalty area is also used to indicate the area in which the goalkeeper is allowed to handle the ball. It is an offense for the goalkeeper to handle the ball anywhere outside of this 18-yard box.

Because of the dimensions, the penalty is also commonly referred to as the "18-yard box".

Penalty arc

The penalty arc is a rarely used marking on the soccer field. In fact, it only becomes relevant when a penalty kick is being taken.

The rules of a penalty kick state that all players (other than the penalty kicker and the goalkeeper) must be outside of the penalty area, and be at least 10 yards (9.15 meters) from the penalty spot when the kick is taken. The penalty arc simply marks this distance from the penalty spot so that the players know that they must get any closer to the ball during the penalty kick.

Center circle and Center spot

The center circle is another field marking that is very rarely used. The center circle contains the center spot, where the ball is placed during a kick-off. The kick-off is used to start the game at the beginning of each half, and also to restart the game after a goal is scored. Therefore, if no goals are scored during a game, then the center circle is only relevant during two very short events at the start of each half.

The rules state that during a kick-off, all of the opponents of the team taking the kick-off must be at least 10 yards (9.15 meters) from the ball until it is in play. The center circle marks this distance so that the players know that they must not get any closer during a kick-off.

Half-way line

The half-way line divides the field into two equal halves. Optional flagposts may be placed at each end of the half-way line but must be at least 1 meter outside of the touchlines.

Each team's half has a few rules associated with it:

• Each team must be within their own half of the field when a kick-off is taken to restart play.
• It is not possible for a player to be offside when they are positioned within their own half of the field.

Corner arcs

There are four corner arcs marked on a soccer field. One arc in each corner of the field. The corner arc is used to define the area in which the ball must be placed when taking a corner kick.

The corner area is a quarter of a circle with a radius of 1 yard (~1 meter). The exact corner of the field is marked with a flag post which must be taller than 1.5 meters (5 feet).

The rules of a corner kick state that opposing players must be at least 10 yards (9.15 meters) away from the corner arc when the kick is taken. For this reason, optional distance markers may be placed on the field to help players and referees visualize this distance.

Technical area

If a game is being played in a stadium, there will be two technical areas marked out, which designate the allowed area for team officials. The technical area has the following rules, which are currently not strictly enforced:

• Only one team official can convey tactical instructions from the technical area at any given time.
• The technical area should only extend 1 m (1 yd) on either side of the designated seated area and up to a distance of 1 m (1 yd) from the touchline.
• Occupants of the technical area must remain within its confines except in special circumstances, e.g. a physiotherapist/doctor entering the field of play, with the referee's permission.

General rules

All field markings must be the same width and must be less than 12 centimeters (5 inches) wide. In addition to this, the goal lines must be the same width as the posts of the goals.

The lines themselves form part of the area that they enclose. For this reason, measurements and any referee judgments are made from the outside of the lines.

History

History of boundary markings

When soccer was first invented, there were no formal rules on how field markings should be applied. In fact, there were rarely any boundary lines at all. Instead, fields would just be marked out with flags to indicate the corners of the fields, and to mark the goal posts, which were 8 yards apart (the same distance as today). The field could have any length up to 200 yards (180 meters), and any width up to 100 yards (90 meters).

History of the penalty area

The idea for penalty kicks was suggested in 1890 by the Irish Football Association and was formally introduced in 1891. They were added as there was an increasing need for a form of punishment for any players committing offenses in close proximity to the goal. For this to be feasible, the referee needed markings on the field to denote where this punishment should be applied.

The penalty area markings were slightly different from what we see today. Originally, there was no penalty spot. Instead, there was a 12-yard line that stretched the width of the field. The penalty kick could be taken from anywhere along this line. The penalty area itself was also denoted by a single line that was 18 yards from the goal and stretched the full width of the field. Even though the markings have changed, the distances from the goal have remained the same.

Interestingly, even though today's penalty area is also used to indicate where the goalkeeper is allowed to handle the ball, this has not always been the case. In the past, there was a separate "goalkeeper's" area.

History of the center circle

The earliest versions of the center circle had a far greater radius than we are used to today. In 1891, the radius of the center circle was around 20 yards, but was reduced to 10 yards in 1902.

History of the half-way line

The half-way line wasn't formally introduced until 1887. Before this time, there was no restriction to where on the field the goalkeeper could handle the ball. However, the rules then changed by restricting the goalkeeper to only handle the ball within their own half of the field. For this reason, the half-way line was needed so that the players and referee knew where each half of the field ended.