When people talk about the size of a football field (or football pitch), the numbers can sound confusing. The dimensions are usually given in yards, meters, or feet—but what about acres? Many people ask: How big is a football pitch in acres?
The simple answer is:
A standard American football field, including the end zones, is about 1.32 acres in size.
In this article, we’ll break down the exact measurements, explain how the calculation is done, and compare it to other sports fields for perspective.
Standard Dimensions of a Football Pitch
In American football, the field has standardized dimensions that rarely change across different levels of play (NFL, college, and high school).
Length (including end zones): 120 yards (360 feet)
Width: 53 ⅓ yards (160 feet)
Total Area in Square Feet: 57,600 sq. ft.
Now, since 1 acre = 43,560 square feet, we can calculate:
57,600 ÷ 43,560 = 1.32 acres
That means a football pitch is about 1.32 acres in size.
Breaking It Down Without End Zones
If you only measure the main playing field (excluding the two 10-yard end zones), the dimensions change:
Length: 100 yards (300 feet)
Width: 53 ⅓ yards (160 feet)
Area: 48,000 sq. ft.
Now, converting to acres:
48,000 ÷ 43,560 = 1.10 acres
The playing field alone is about 1.1 acres, while the full field with end zones is 1.32 acres.
Football Pitch Size in Different Units
To give you a better idea of scale, here’s how big a football pitch is across various measurements:
Square Feet: 57,600 sq. ft.
Square Yards: 6,400 sq. yds.
Square Meters: about 5,351 sq. m.
Acres: 1.32 acres
Comparing a Football Pitch to Other Fields
To understand how big 1.32 acres really is, let’s compare it to other sports:
Soccer Pitch: Varies, but typically between 1.6 to 2 acres (larger than a football field).
Baseball Field: Highly variable; professional fields can be 2 to 4 acres.
Basketball Court: About 4,700 sq. ft., meaning more than 12 basketball courts fit inside one football field.
Volleyball Court: 1,800 sq. ft.; more than 30 courts fit inside one football pitch.
Why Do We Measure in Acres?
Acres are not the most common way to describe a football field’s size, but they provide an easy way to visualize the space. Since land and property are often measured in acres, it helps people imagine how much space a football pitch would take if laid out on a plot of land.
For example:
A standard house lot in the U.S. averages around 0.2 acres. That means a football pitch is about the size of 6–7 average house lots combined.
Fun Facts About Football Pitch Size
All levels of football (NFL, NCAA, high school) use the same field dimensions, so the acreage remains the same.
Canadian football fields are larger: 110 yards long (plus 20-yard deep end zones) and 65 yards wide. That equals 87,750 sq. ft., or about 2.01 acres.
The goalposts used to sit on the goal line but were moved back to the end line for safety reasons, slightly changing how fans perceive the end zone size.
Even though a football pitch is about 1.32 acres, stadiums themselves take up dozens of acres due to seating, parking, and facilities.
Conclusion
So, how big is a football pitch in acres?
Full field (including end zones): about 1.32 acres
Playing field only (without end zones): about 1.1 acres
While this might seem small compared to a farm or a large piece of land, in the world of sports, a football pitch is quite large—big enough to host 22 players at once, with plenty of room for touchdowns, tackles, and thrilling plays.
Next time you watch a game, you’ll know that the action is unfolding across just over an acre of ground.