Football Field Dimensions: NFL, College and High School (Length, Width, Goalposts and Hash Marks)

Quick answer: A football field is 120 yards (360 feet) long and 53 1/3 yards (160 feet) wide: 100 yards between the goal lines plus two 10-yard end zones. NFL, college and high school fields are the same size under NFL Rule 1, Section 1, NCAA Rule 1-2 and Appendix D and the NFHS 11-player field diagram; only the hash marks and goalposts differ. The full field covers 57,600 square feet, about 1.32 acres.

How many yards is a football field?

A football field is 120 yards long from end line to end line. That breaks down into 100 yards of playing field (marked with yard lines every 5 yards and numbers every 10 yards) plus a 10-yard end zone on each end. The field is 53 1/3 yards wide. This is the standard used at the NFL, NCAA, and NFHS high school levels — the dimensions don't change based on level of play.

How many feet is a football field?

In feet, a regulation field is 360 feet long and 160 feet wide, covering 57,600 square feet (about 1.32 acres) of playing surface. Facility managers and contractors laying out a field or ordering fencing, netting, or turf typically work in feet, so it's worth keeping both units handy.

Are high school and college football fields the same size as the NFL?

Yes. NFL, NCAA (college) and NFHS (high school) fields all measure 120 yards by 53 1/3 yards (360 by 160 feet), with a 10-yard end zone at each end. The differences are in the markings and goalposts, not the size of the field:

• Hash marks: 70 ft 9 in from each sideline in the NFL (18 ft 6 in apart), 60 ft in college (40 ft apart) and 53 ft 4 in in high school (53 ft 4 in apart).
• Goalpost width: 18 ft 6 in between the uprights in the NFL and college, 23 ft 4 in in high school.
• Upright height: 35 ft above the crossbar in the NFL, at least 30 ft above the ground in college, at least 20 ft high in high school.
• Crossbar: 10 ft above the ground at all three levels.

High school football field dimensions

High school football field dimensions (NFHS rules) match the overall footprint used at every level: 120 yards long by 53 1/3 yards wide. Where high school fields differ is the hash marks and goalpost width. NFHS hash marks sit 53 feet 4 inches from each sideline, spaced 53 feet 4 inches apart — this divides the field into thirds. High school goalpost uprights are set 23 feet 4 inches apart, wider than NFL or NCAA posts, with a crossbar 10 feet above the ground and uprights at least 20 feet high.

College football field dimensions

College football field dimensions (NCAA rules) also use the 120-yard by 53 1/3-yard footprint. NCAA hash marks are 60 feet from each sideline, 40 feet apart. Goalpost uprights are 18 feet 6 inches apart — narrower than high school posts — with the top of the crossbar 10 feet above the ground and uprights extending at least 30 feet above the ground. Around the field, NCAA limit lines sit 12 feet outside the sidelines and end lines (never less than 6 feet where the stadium is too small), and the front of the coaching box is a solid line 6 feet outside the sideline between the 20-yard lines. The NFL rims the field with a solid white border at least 6 feet wide, with a broken limit line 6 feet farther out in the non-bench areas and benches at least 30 feet back from the sidelines.

NFL field dimensions

NFL fields share the same 120-yard by 53 1/3-yard overall size. NFL hash marks are the narrowest of the three levels: 70 feet 9 inches from each sideline, leaving 18 feet 6 inches between them, aligned directly with the goalposts. NFL goalpost uprights are also 18 feet 6 inches apart, matching the hash mark spacing, with a 10-foot crossbar and uprights extending 35 feet above the crossbar — the tallest posts of the three levels.

Level-by-level comparison table

Flag football field dimensions

Flag football field dimensions are much smaller than tackle football. NFL FLAG (5v5) fields measure 70 yards by 30 yards, including two 10-yard end zones — that leaves 50 yards of playing field. Other flag and youth leagues set their own field sizes, so check your league rulebook before marking lines.

College flag football field dimensions (NCAA)

The NCAA does not write or enforce its own flag football rules. Women's college flag football is played 7v7 under the 2026 Collegiate Women's Flag Football Rules and Interpretations, a rulebook that NCAA member schools may choose to follow; the book itself states that the NCAA does not govern or enforce these playing rules. Its field is 80 yards between the goal lines plus two 10-yard end zones, so 100 yards (300 ft) long in total, and 40 yards (120 ft) wide.

• Field lines: every 20 yards from goal line to goal line.
• Hash marks: 15 yards in from each sideline.
• Try lines: at the 3-yard and 10-yard lines; a 14-yard line is marked with an X.
• Limit lines: 12 ft outside the sidelines and end lines.
• Players: no more than seven per team on the field.

A standard 120 by 53 1/3 yard football field is large enough to hold the 100 by 40 yard college flag field, and the rulebook allows play on a tackle field with the flag dimensions and zones marked inside it.

Flag and Canadian field comparison

Planning your space

Before you lay out a full-size field, plan for more than just the 360 ft by 160 ft playing surface. NFL and NCAA rules put limit lines 12 feet outside the sidelines (the NCAA allows no less than 6 feet in tight stadiums), so plan for roughly 24 extra feet of width beyond the 160-foot field, plus team areas behind the limit lines. Goalposts sit on the end line at the back of each end zone, and upright height varies significantly by level — 35 feet above the crossbar at the NFL level down to uprights at least 20 feet high in high school — so vertical clearance behind each end zone should account for the tallest posts you plan to install. If you're building a flag or youth field instead, the much smaller footprints (70 yd x 30 yd for NFL FLAG 5v5) make it realistic to fit a field on a smaller property, but always confirm end zone depth and width against your league's specific rules before marking lines.

How to measure / lay out a football field — checklist

• Confirm total length: 120 yards (360 feet) for NFL, NCAA, and NFHS fields, including both end zones.
• Confirm total width: 53 1/3 yards (160 feet) for all three levels.
• Mark yard lines every 5 yards and number them every 10 yards across the 100-yard playing field.
• Measure and mark hash marks at the correct distance from each sideline for your level: 70 ft 9 in (NFL), 60 ft (NCAA), or 53 ft 4 in (NFHS).
• Set goalposts on the end line at the back of each end zone with a 10-foot crossbar height at all levels.
• Space goalpost uprights according to level: 18 ft 6 in (NFL/NCAA) or 23 ft 4 in (high school).
• Mark limit lines 12 feet outside the sidelines and end lines (NCAA minimum 6 feet; NFL: 6-foot white border plus a broken limit line 6 feet beyond it).
• For flag or youth fields, re-measure using the smaller field size that matches your league (for example, 70 x 30 yd for NFL FLAG 5v5).

Sources

Dimensions and markings referenced here reflect rules published by the NFL, the NCAA, and NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations), which govern professional, college, and high school football fields respectively in the United States:

• 2026 Official Playing Rules of the National Football League — Rule 1 (field 360 ft by 160 ft, inbounds lines 70 ft 9 in from each sideline, crossbar 18 ft 6 in long and 10 ft high, uprights 35 ft above the crossbar, solid white border at least 6 ft wide with a broken limit line 6 ft beyond it)
• 2026 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations — Rule 1-2 and Appendix D (360 ft by 160 ft, hash marks 60 ft from the sidelines, uprights 18 ft 6 in apart and at least 30 ft above the ground; Rule 1-2-3 limit lines 12 ft outside the sidelines and end lines, not less than 6 ft; Rule 1-2-4 coaching box front 6 ft outside the sideline)
• NFHS Football Field Diagram, 11-player field (300 ft plus two 30 ft end zones, 160 ft wide, hash marks 53 ft 4 in from the sidelines, uprights 23 ft 4 in apart and at least 20 ft high)
• NFL FLAG: How to Play Flag Football (30 yd wide by 70 yd long, two 10-yd end zones)
• 2026 Collegiate Women's Flag Football Rules and Interpretations — Rule 1-2 and Appendix D (goal lines 80 yd apart, end lines 10 yd behind each goal line, field 120 ft wide, hash marks 15 yd from the sidelines, limit lines 12 ft outside; seven players; the NCAA does not govern or enforce these rules)
• CFL Official Playing Rules — Rule 1, Section 1, Article 1 (field 110 yd long by 65 yd wide, dead ball line 20 yd behind each goal line)

Shop the gear

Outfitting a field or practice facility? Browse football for general field equipment, professional-goalposts-and-padding for goalpost and padding options built for higher levels of play, football-field-goalposts-padding for full field goalpost and padding setups, and football-lineman-chutes for practice chutes used in line drills.

Related guides

• Baseball field dimensions by age: base paths and fences from Little League to college.
• Soccer field dimensions by age: FIFA, high school and youth field sizes.

Frequently asked questions

How many yards is a football field?

120 yards long (including two 10-yard end zones) and 53 1/3 yards wide. This applies to NFL, NCAA, and NFHS high school fields.

How many feet is a football field?

360 feet long and 160 feet wide, covering 57,600 square feet (about 1.32 acres).

What are high school football field dimensions?

Same overall size as NFL and college: 120 yards by 53 1/3 yards. Hash marks are 53 ft 4 in from each sideline, and goalpost uprights are 23 ft 4 in apart.

What are college football field dimensions?

120 yards by 53 1/3 yards, same as NFL and high school. NCAA hash marks are 60 feet from each sideline, and goalpost uprights are 18 ft 6 in apart.

What are flag football field dimensions?

NFL FLAG 5v5 fields are 70 yards by 30 yards, including two 10-yard end zones. College flag football under the 2026 Collegiate Women's Flag Football Rules uses a 100 by 40 yard field. Other flag leagues set their own field size, so check your league rulebook.

Are NFL, college, and high school fields the same size?

Yes, all three use a 120-yard by 53 1/3-yard field. The differences are in hash mark placement and goalpost upright width/height.

How tall are football goalposts?

The crossbar is 10 feet above the ground at all levels. NFL uprights extend 35 feet above the crossbar, NCAA uprights reach at least 30 feet above the ground, and NFHS high school uprights are at least 20 feet high.

How big is a college flag football field?

Under the 2026 Collegiate Women's Flag Football Rules, the field is 100 yards long (80 yards between the goal lines plus two 10-yard end zones) and 40 yards wide. The NCAA hosts the rulebook but does not govern or enforce it.