How Big is a Premier League Football Pitch?

There is no doubt that the array of Premier League stadiums over the years is full of variety. From the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to Luton’s Kenilworth Road, each have different capacities, facilities and history.

But is there much difference between the pitches within them?

The general perception is that all professional football pitches are the same, with the top flight having the most carpet-like turfs, created with tender care and hybrid technology.

However, that isn’t exactly true. Whilst most teams in the first division do have the best quality pitches in English football, not all of them are the same size.

What are the Size Requirements for a Premier League Pitch?

A pitch’s touchline (length) must be longer than its goal-line (width).

Touchline Length:

• Minimum length – 90 metres (100 yards).
• Maximum length – 120 metres (130 yards).

Goal-Line Length:

• Minimum length – 45 metres (50 yards).
• Maximum length – 90 metres (100 yards).

The typical dimensions of a Premier League pitch are 105 metres long (touchline) and 68 metres wide (goal-line). This equates to 115 yards by 74 yards.

13 of the 20 top tier teams follow these average measurements. The majority of those who don’t have the same 105x68 metre area, have slightly shorter touchline lengths but still maintain a 68-metre goal-line. But that isn’t the case for all.

Which Premier League Clubs have the Largest Pitches?

Nottingham Forest’s City Ground has the largest pitch size in the Premier League. The Trentside turf has measurements of 105 metres (115 yards) by 74 metres (80 yards).

The famous Midlands ground follows suit of the average Premier League touchline length. However, it is slightly wider than most pitches.

Which Premier League Clubs have the Smallest Pitches

Both Crystal Palace and Liverpool each have a pitch the same size. Theirs measure 101 metres by touchline and 68 metres by goal-line. This means that their pitches are shorter from goal to goal, making the playing surface squarer.

Everton’s Goodison Park had similar dimensions, just half a metre less by the length. However, their brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium - which is yet to be debuted in the Premier League – does not have official measurements as of yet.

Here comes the smallest two – a duo representing West London. The second smallest is Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge. The Bridge is a truly iconic Premier League stadium; however, its surface is 103.3 metres long and 67.7 metres wide, making it just slightly smaller than the league’s average.

Only Fulham have smaller, as Craven Cottage holds a pitch just 100 metres in touchline length and 65 metres in width.

How Can Different Pitch Sizes Affect Performance?

Of course, evert team has to visit every other stadium at least once a season. However, 19 out of the 38 matches are players on home soil, meaning the home team can adopt a suitable play style for their pitch size.

Teams with wider pitches are ale to spread the play more fluidly, by utilising the channels and having more time on the ball. This is because the opposition have more distance to cover. However, so do the home team, which could make players burn out quicker.

Teams with smaller pitches certainly have to master a a quick flowing style, with minimal time on the ball and fast passing play. The surface becomes tighter giving each player less room for mistakes and less time to make a decision.