Lining a Field

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Printable diagram.

Making a Field of Play

The field of play must be rectangular. The length of the touch line must be greater than the length of the goal line. (See diagram.)

Length: Minimum 100 yards (300 feet) maximum 130 yards (390 feet)
Width: Minimum 50 yards (150 feet) maximum 100 yards (300 feet)

Field Markings

  • 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.
  • None of the lines should be more than 5 inches wide.
  • The field of play is divided into two halves by a halfway line.
  • The center mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway line. A circle with a radius of 10 yards (30 feet) is marked around it.

Emergency Lining

The length of a person's step is around 24 inches. Without a tape measure, assume that: One big step is one yard

Goal Area

A goal area is defined at each end of the field, as follows:

  • Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 6 yards (18 feet) from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of 6 yards (18 feet) 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.
  • Six big steps to both sides from the edge of the goal, and six big steps from those marks at a 90º angle into the field are the top points of the Goal Area.

    • Penalty 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, 18 yards (54 feet) from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of 18 yards (54 feet) 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.
    • 18 big steps to both sides from the edge of the goal, and 18 big steps from those marks at a 90º angle into the field are the top points of the Penalty Area.

    The width of the goal is 8 big steps and the penalty area is 18 big steps to either side, for a combined width of 18+18+8=44 big steps of touch line. Since the field must be at least 50 big steps wide, there must be at least 6 big steps from the edge of the penalty area to the sideline.