The Complete Guide To Soccer Goal Sizes & Types Everything You Need To Know Before Buying A Soccer Goal
With so many different types of soccer goals for sale it can be somewhat daunting when it comes to choosing which soccer goal to buy. Whether you’re unsure about what size soccer goal you need, or you don’t know which soccer goal type or material is best suited to your needs, the huge range of options available can make buying the right goal a challenge.
With this in mind we’ve created our illustrated goal buying guide that can help you quickly identify the goal that is best suited to you. Covering regulation soccer goal sizes for different age ranges, as well as examining and evaluating the different options available when it comes to goal materials and designs, our comprehensive soccer goal buying guide can help you make an informed decision and remove any uncertainty you may have.
The first section of our soccer goal guide focuses on the regulation soccer goal sizes set out by organizations including FIFA and US Youth Soccer.
Soccer goals are measured from the inside of the posts, and from the inside/bottom of the crossbar to the ground.
US Youth Soccer recommends that games involving children aged 8 years old and younger have 4 or 5 players on each side and no goalkeeper.
The games are made up of 4 quarters of 10 minutes each and there is no offside rule. The recommended goal size guide for these games is 6ft x 4ft.
For U9 and U10 games, US Youth Soccer recommends using goals measuring a maximum of 18.5ft x 6.5ft.
Under 9 and 10 games are 7-a-side and last a total of 50 minutes (2 x 25 minute halves).
In U11 and U12 games US Youth Soccer recommends using goals that are 21ft x 7ft.
The games consist of 2 x 30 minute halves and each side has 9 players
In the United States, US Youth Soccer is the largest youth soccer organization and is a member of US Soccer and FIFA.
In accordance with the guidelines set out by US Youth Soccer and the US Youth Soccer Player Development Model, children over the age of 12 years (U13 teams and up) use full-size 24ft x 8ft soccer goals in regulated games.
The games are 11-a-side and the duration varies from a total of 70 minutes (2 x 35 minute halves), to 90 minutes (2 x 45 minute halves) depending on the age group.
US Youth Soccer - Maximum Goal Post Sizes by Age Recap AGE GOAL SIZE UNDER 6/7/8 6FT X 4FT (1.8M X 1.2M) UNDER 9/10 18.5FT X 6.5FT (5.6M X 2M) UNDER 11/12 21FT X 7FT (6.4M X 2.1M) 12+ & SENIOR 24FT X 8FT (7.3M X 2.4M)Whilst soccer goals sizes for youth games are set primarily according to the age group of the players, senior goal sizes are determined by the number of players on each team.
According to the official documentation published by IFAB in association with FIFA in relation to senior, full size regulation soccer goalposts:
“The distance between the inside of the posts is 7.32 m (24ft) and the distance from the lower edge of the crossbar to the ground is 2.44 m (8 ft).”
In other words, the regulation size of a soccer goal used in a senior 11-a-side game should be 24ft x 8ft. This is the case for both men’s and women’s soccer goals, with the same size 24 x 8 goals being used by both male and female soccer players.
For 9-a-side senior soccer matches, to suit the smaller playing area, it is recommended that goals measuring 21ft x 7ft are used.
Senior 7-a-side soccer games are regulated at an international level by IFA7 and FIF7. In the USA, the standard goal posts used in senior 7-a-side games are 12ft x 6ft.
In the USA, in accordance with guidelines set out by the USASA and IFAB, senior 5-a-side soccer games should use goal posts that are 12ft x 4ft.
US SENIOR SOCCER GOAL SIZES GAME GOAL SIZE 5-A-SIDE 12FT x 4FT (3.7M x 1.22M) 7-A-SIDE 12FT x 7FT (3.7M x 2.13M) 9-A-SIDE 21FT x 7FT (6.4M x 2.1M) 11-A-SIDE 24FT x 8FT (7.3M x 2.4M)Whilst competitive games have specific U.S Soccer and IFAB regulation goal sizes depending on the players age, any size goal can be used for casual play in your backyard.
The graphic below shows the recommended ages for each size backyard goal. However, the space available to you and your budget should also be considered when deciding which size goal is right for you. For example, if you have a small backyard or your budget doesn’t allow for a bigger goal, a smaller and slightly cheaper 6 x 4 goal can be used by older players if necessary. The purpose of this graphic is to offer a general indication of suitable goal sizes for your backyard, allowing you flexibility in choosing the size that best fits your needs, rather than imposing a specific recommendation.
The majority of soccer goal posts in use in the United States are made from one of three materials - uPVC, steel, or aluminum. There are benefits to each different material when it comes to the cost, robustness, and longevity of the goalposts.
Steel has a famous and illustrious history in the United States, with the rise of large integrated steel mills back in the 1800s. Steel is an incredibly strong metal alloy with an exceptional ability to maintain its shape and integrity.
A range of FORZA's metal goal posts are made from galvanized steel. Coated in a layer of zinc, the galvanized steel goals are 100% weatherproof and made with the perfect material for backyard, garden, school and practice-ground soccer goals.
Our steel goals are available in a number of sizes from 8ft x 6ft up to 16ft x 7ft. Combined with extra durable, 3mm twine HDPE soccer nets, you can expect many years of fun and enjoyment with a FORZA steel soccer goal. Despite the incredible strength of our steel goals they do not require any tools to set up and assemble. All of our FORZA steel goalposts are UV-treated and corrosion-resistant.
uPVC goals are perfect for youth games and backyards. As they are so light, there is a reduced risk of injury when it comes to any potential collisions with the posts. Lightweight, weatherproof, and a cost-effective option, PVC goals are the most popular format when it comes to soccer goals for kids.
FORZA soccer goals are made using 68mm extra thick, high-impact UPVC that is 100% shatterproof. Simple to assemble, our FORZA uPVC goals with HDPE nets can be left outside all year round. FORZA uPVC goals also feature a unique locking system that is designed to absorb the hardest of shots and impacts.
Aluminum goals are regarded as the best goal posts money can buy. Professional soccer pitches and practice grounds, including those used in MLS and Premier League, almost always use soccer goals made of aluminum. Aluminum is a recyclable, sustainable material that is well known for its corrosion resistance, strength and durability. Aluminum is also incredibly light compared to other metals and alloys, making it the perfect material for top-level soccer goalposts.
Available in a range of sizes and designs, FORZA aluminum goals are used by famous soccer clubs including Manchester United and Newcastle United. The 110mm diameter posts are used in practice session scrimmages and professional games. Available in portable freestanding versions, as well as socketed models, the goal posts meet regulations set out by the MLS, FIFA and UEFA.
Our 60mm and 110mm diameter aluminum posts are popular with professional soccer teams across America and are often used by senior players for small-sided games during practice sessions. Suitable for all playing surfaces including grass and indoor wooden pitches, the aluminum goals are the pièce de résistance of the FORZA soccer goal range.
Once you’ve decided on the size and material of the soccer goal post(s) you require, you’ll also want to consider whether you need freestanding or socketed goalposts.
The most popular choice for professional soccer pitches, socketed goal posts are the ideal solution when the goals are set to remain in one place for an extended period. Socketed goal posts are placed into sleeves or sockets that are permanently fixed into the ground. They can be easily removed but take more time and skill to install than freestanding goal posts.
The sockets or sleeves for this type of goalpost are usually set into cubes of concrete. Because they are so securely set into place, they are incredibly firm and robust and often used in parks and public grounds because they are virtually impossible to move and they won’t topple over. They are also regularly used within professional soccer grounds, as they provide the most robust and stable soccer goal option.
FORZA’s FIFA/UEFA Elite Stadium Soccer Goals, are considered the best of the best when it comes to soccer goal posts. Currently installed at professional soccer grounds including Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse ground and Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
Seen on soccer practice grounds and artificial turf pitches across the United States, freestanding goals can be moved quickly and safely without any specialized equipment or tools. Freestanding goals stand on their own, without any need for support or fixings. Because there is no need to install sockets into the ground, they are perfect for concrete, wooden and artificial pitches. They are also ideal for practice grounds, as they can be moved quickly and easily into positions for different drills and scrimmages.
At Net World Sports we have developed a range of pioneering freestanding goals including our highly regarded FORZA Alu110 Soccer Goals. Lightweight yet incredibly robust, the Alu110 goals can be purchased with the FORZA Alu110 360˚ Wheels - which make them exceptionally easy to move and reposition. The FORZA lever wheels lift the goals almost 4 inches from the ground and allow the goals to be moved with ease across all surfaces.
Now that we’ve covered soccer goal sizes, materials and types you should hopefully be more confident when it comes to buying a football goal!
A goal being scored (1961)
In games of association football, teams compete to score the most goals during the match. A goal is scored when the ball passes completely over a goal line at either end of the field of play between two centrally positioned upright goal posts 24 feet (7.32 m) apart and underneath a horizontal crossbar at a height of 8 feet (2.44 m) — this frame is itself referred to as a goal. Each team aims to score at one end of the pitch, while preventing their opponents from scoring at the other end. Nets are usually attached to the goal frame to catch goalscoring balls, but the ball is not required to touch the net.
Rules
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If the line in this diagram is the goal line between the goal posts, the only case in which a goal has been scored is position D.Rules concerning goal scoring are described in Law 10 of the Laws of the Game:
A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no offence has been committed by the team scoring the goal.
Law 10: Determining the Outcome of a Match[1]
As with other cases of the ball travelling out of the field of play, all of the ball must cross all of the line, otherwise play continues.[2] A goal is credited to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team actually caused the ball to enter the goal. A ball entering a goal from the action of a player defending that goal is called an own goal.
If the ball hits the frame of the goal and remains in play, play continues. Goals can be scored going in off the goal frame.
Even if serious foul play unambiguously prevents a goal from being scored, the referee cannot award a goal unless the ball enters the goal as described above; i.e., there is no provision for awarding a goal akin to the penalty try in rugby football or the goaltending offence in basketball (although such a provision did once exist, as described below).
A goal cannot be scored directly from a dropped ball, indirect free kick or a throw-in. Should the ball go into the opponents' goal from these without first being touched by another player, play is restarted with a goal kick. A player cannot score an own goal directly from any restart of play (other than a penalty kick); in that case a corner kick would be awarded. Both of these situations, especially the latter, are exceedingly rare.
As a result of rule-changes introduced in 2019, it is not possible to score an attacking goal with the hands or arm. If a goalkeeper throws the ball directly into the opponent's goal from his/her own penalty area, no goal is awarded: instead a goal-kick is awarded to the defending side.[3] If the ball goes directly into the opponent's goal from the hands or arm of a player in any other circumstances, the handling is penalised as a handball offence (even if it was unintentional, or would otherwise have been legal).[4] It remains possible to score an own goal with the hands or arm.
If a player or team official is illegally on the field of play when that person's team scores a goal, the goal is disallowed, with a direct free kick being awarded to the opposing side.[5]
After a goal is scored, play is restarted with a kick-off by the side which conceded the goal.
Deciding whether a goal has been scored
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Most goals are relatively unambiguous, as the ball will usually strike the net attached to the goal structure indicating that it has passed over the goal line as described above. Occasionally, however, situations occur where it is difficult for officials to tell if the ball completely crossed the goal line before a rebound, save, or clearance from the goal area. Additionally, even if the ball crosses the goal line as required, a goal may be disallowed if the attacking team commits an infringement of the Laws of the Game, such as the offside offence or a foul.
As with all other decisions on the Laws of the Game, the referee is the final authority as to whether a goal is scored. The match referee is advised by assistant referees, whose view across the pitch from the sidelines may in some cases be more useful in determining whether the ball crossed the goal line or whether the attacking team committed an infringement.
Goals incorrectly awarded or disallowed due to mistakes in determining if the ball crossed the line are referred to as ghost goals. The goal net was one of the earliest tools employed to aid match officials in determining whether a goal was scored. Introduced in the 1890s, the goal net provides a simple way to help determine whether the ball passed on the correct side of the goal posts and crossbar. Although not mandated by the Laws of the Game, goal nets are now ubiquitous across most levels of organised football. Since 2012, goal-line technology has been used at the highest levels of professional football; it employs a system of cameras and/or sensors to provide the referee with a discreet signal when the ball has crossed the goal line.[6] The video assistant referee was added in 2018 after years of trials; this is an additional assistant referee who constantly monitors video footage of the match and is empowered to advise the referee if he/she makes "clear and obvious errors" in matters, including in the awarding of goals.
Attribution of goals
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The Laws make no mention of attributing goals to individual players. Nevertheless, goals are almost always attributed to individuals, that player being the one who provided the final action causing the goal to be scored. Generally, this is the last player to touch the ball, notwithstanding inconsequential deflections such as failed attempts at a save. Should a player cause a goal to be scored against their own team, the goal is recorded as an own goal.
The authority on attributing goals varies between competitions. The Premier League in England has a dedicated Dubious Goals Committee for resolving attribution disputes.[7]
For an individual player, scoring multiple goals in a game is considered a notable achievement. In association football, a hat-trick refers to the uncommon feat of scoring three goals in a single game. Awards exist for individual players who score the most goals in some competitions, such awards are often called the "Golden Boot".
Goal celebrations
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Atlético Madrid players celebrate a goal with a group hugPlayers will typically celebrate scoring a goal with team mates, occasionally putting on elaborate displays for the crowd. The Laws allow this, but mandate that celebration must not be "excessive".[8]
Quantity of goals
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On average, only a few scores occur per game in association football.
An analysis of several years' results from several English leagues found that 1–0 was the most common result, occurring in approximately 20% of games.[14]
History
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Illustration of the goals used at Rugby School (1858)Before 1863
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In English traditional football, the object of the game was typically to convey a ball into a specified area, or to touch a specific object (the area or object often being called the "goal")[15][16][17] defended by the opposing team. This feat might itself be called a "goal";[18] alternative names such as "inn"[15] were also in use. The game might be decided by a fixed number of goals (e.g. first goal scored wins or best of three)[19][20][21] or be played for a fixed period of time.
In the more formalised football games of English public schools and universities, the object was typically to kick the ball between goal-posts guarded by the opposition. This might be required to be above a crossbar (as in the game of football played at Rugby School),[22] below a bar or other object (as in the Sheffield Rules of 1862)[23] or at any height (as at Shrewsbury School).[24]
Comparison of goals in some early football codes, ca. 1863 Code Year Width Height Notes Ball must go between posts above specified height Rugby School 1862 10 feet Must go above crossbar. Goal is void if ball is touched by opposition. Posts are 18 feet high.[25] The width of the goal is not specified in the laws, but the novel Tom Brown's School Days (1857) reports it as approximately 14 feet.[26] Marlborough College 1863 24 feet 9 feet [27] Ball must go between posts below specified height Uppingham School 1857 "six paces" Ball must go below cross-bar. Later version (1871) of rules specifies a goal 40 feet wide and 7 feet high.[28] Eton Field Game 1862 11 feet 7 feet No crossbar; ball must not go above height of the posts.[29] Sheffield FC 1862 12 feet 9 feet Must go below crossbar.[30] The Simplest Game 1862 Ball must go below crossbar. Goal disallowed "if thrown by hand".[31] Charterhouse School 1863 Ball must go below "cord". Goal void if ball "hit or otherwise impelled through by the hands of any one of the side who are not defending the goal".[32] Ball must go between posts at any height Harrow School 1858 12 feet — Goals (both the physical target and the method of scoring) are called "bases".[33] Melbourne FC 1860 — Width of the goal is agreed between captains. Goal is void if ball touches a post or a defending player.[34] Blackheath FC 1862 — Goal is void if ball touches a defending player.[35] Shrewsbury School 1863 40 feet — [36] Cambridge Rules 1863 15 feet — Earlier version of Cambridge Rules (1856) required ball to go under a "string".[37] Football Association 1863 24 feet — Goal void if the ball is handled. Ball must cross line (at any height) Surrey FC 1849 — — Ball must cross "goal rope".[38] Winchester College 1863 — — Ball must cross goal-line. Earlier version of the game used "goal-sticks" (posts). Goal is void if "an opposing player can touch it as it passes, and then, leaping up, alight with one foot beyond the goal-line.".[39]The 1863 FA Rules
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The size and type of goals were among the first questions decided by the Football Association (FA). At its second meeting, on 10 November 1863, the FA agreed on the following three resolutions:[40]
The next meeting, on 17 November, added the further condition that a goal could not be scored when the ball was "thrown, knocked or carried" between the posts.[40]
These points were reflected in the first draft of the Laws of the Game created by FA secretary E. C. Morley.[41] Morley's proposal met with objections expressed in correspondence from J. C. Thring of Uppingham School, and also from William Chesterman of Sheffield F. C.,[42] principally on the grounds that it would be difficult to judge whether a ball that went above the height of the posts should count as a goal; Thring correctly predicted that a crossbar "w[ould] be adopted in the end".[43] Nevertheless, this feature of the game was preserved in the Association's first published set of laws, which read:[44]
A goal shall be won when the ball passes between the goal posts or over the space between the goal posts (at whatever height), not being thrown, knocked on, or carried
Subsequent developments
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Introduction of tape / crossbar
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From 1866 to 1883, the laws provided for a tape between the goalpostsAt the first revision of the FA rules, in 1866, a tape was introduced between the posts at a height of 8 feet, with a goal counting only if the ball went below this tape.[45] According to a contemporary newspaper report of the meeting:[46]
The chairman urged some strong reasons why a goal should not be won so long as the ball was between the posts at no matter what height, and quoted an instance which occurred at Reigate, where one of the opposite side raised the ball quite 90 feet in the air between the goal posts. A dispute arose as to whether the goal was won or not, and the bystanders decided that the ball was kicked between the posts, but he thought it was a most unsatisfactory goal, and was therefore decidedly in favour of goals being kicked under the tape
In 1875, after a proposal by Queen's Park FC, the laws allowed the option of using either a crossbar or tape.[47] At the International Football Conference of December 1882, it was decided to require a crossbar;[48] this change was introduced into the Football Association's laws in 1883.[49]
The dimensions of the goal (8 yards wide and 8 feet high) have remained unchanged since 1866.
Use of hands to score a goal
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The original FA laws of 1863 disallowed a goal when the ball was "thrown, knocked on, or carried",[44] even if the handling was otherwise legal.[50] In 1882, a change in the laws, introduced by Nicholas Lane Jackson of Finchley FC and Morton Betts of Old Harrovians FC, made it possible to score an own goal by use of the hands.[51]
In 1962, a change introduced by the Scottish Football Association permitted a goal-keeper to score a goal by throwing the ball into the opposing goal from his own penalty area.[52] This innovation was heavily criticised in some quarters.[53] In 1974, a further change to the laws allowed a goal to be scored when the ball was handled unintentionally by an attacker.[54] In 2019 both of these changes were reversed:
Goal awarded for handball by opposition
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The original laws of the game, in 1863, specified no punishments for infringements of the rules.[55] In 1872, the indirect free kick was introduced as a punishment for handball.[56] This indirect free-kick was thought to be an inadequate remedy for a handball which prevented an otherwise-certain goal. From a meeting of the Sheffield Football Association in February 1879, we have the following report:[57][58]
It was proposed by Mr. T. Banks, on behalf of the Norfolk Club, to add to law 8 — "If any player of the defending side, except the goalkeeper, stop the ball with his hands within three yards of the goal, when it is going in goal, it shall count a goal to the opponents."[59]
After a "long and noisy discussion", the change was rejected. At the 1881 meeting of the Football Association, a similar proposal was introduced by J. Arnall and J. B. Clayton of the Birmingham Football Association, but it was likewise rejected.[60] Such a law was finally approved the next year, to become part of the FA's laws for the 1882-83 season:
When any player, other than the goal-keeper, wilfully stops a ball in the vicinity of his own goal by using his hands when, in the opinion of the umpires or referee, the ball would have passed through the goal, a goal shall be scored to his opponents.[61]
This goal, which was similar to today's penalty try in rugby, survived as part of the game for only one season. At the International Football Conference of December 1882, it was decided to remove this law from the 1883-84 season.[62][63] One commentator wrote that the rule "was the means of causing the referee a very awkward point to decide at times, and we all know the duties of the referee are heavy enough without this; and, further, the penalty, in my opinion, is too great [...] A free kick [...] is quite sufficient".[64]
Goal scored from set-piece
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The laws have at various times restricted the ability to score from a set piece situation (such as a free kick or corner-kick). If the ball goes into the goal directly from such a restart but the laws do not permit the awarding of a goal, depending on which team performed the set piece a goal kick or corner kick is awarded.
Summary
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A goal may be scored directly from: Year Handling Set-pieces KeeperSee also
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Notes
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References
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