LED Soccer Field Lighting for Every Competition Level

At Access Fixtures, one of our goals is to simplify high-performance lighting solutions for our customers. We ask ourselves every day how we can provide efficient and high-quality lighting to end users, contractors, and property owners. Sometimes our projects are small and sometimes they are larger. As we continue to develop and perfect new sports lighting packages, we have increasingly found ourselves looking to create and implement lighting packages for soccer field lighting and provide the right number of footcandles to every level of play.

Finding the Right Lighting Level for Your Soccer Field

Obviously, a televised World Cup soccer game between two of the best soccer teams in the world is going to require different and more complex lighting than a junior high soccer team will. Access Fixtures has conducted independent research on the recommended footcandles for different levels of play and compiled the list below. Each of these figures is an approximate estimate as some of our sources contradict one another. However, the following can provide general guidelines when deciding how to light a soccer field.

• Recreational Level/Parks: 20-30fc
• High School Level: 30-50fc
• College Level: 50fc
• Division I College Level: 75-100fc
• Televised National (FIFA standards): 130-190fc
• Televised International (FIFA standards): 170-225fc

As stated previously, these are just general guidelines. Lighting may be increased or decreased depending on your particular soccer lighting project.

Field Sizes and Lighting Layout

Unlike sports like tennis, pickleball, and American football, soccer fields can range in size quite dramatically. Youth soccer fields barely resemble a soccer field used in the World Cup. Standard soccer field sizes can range anywhere from 100-130 yards long (from goal to goal) and 50-100 yards wide. This variance can make creating specific, ready-to-buy lighting packages difficult if not impossible. Other field issues that need to be taken into account are the location of bleachers, benches, and possible stadium sidelines. Lighting must be uniform and thus needs to be placed outside any possible barriers and also outside the field itself.

Soccer fields do however have some uniform elements. For example, the diameter of a soccer field’s center circle is always 20 yards. The penalty box is always 18 yards by 44 yards, and the goal area is always 6 yards deep. Knowing that the soccer field is always symmetrical on both sides is helpful in determining placement of poles and luminaires.

The quantity of luminaires will depend on the footcandle requirements. Four poles will typically be used to light a soccer field. Depending on the location of the soccer field, certain pole materials may be chosen over others. Please discuss with your lighting specialist before determining which poles to use in your soccer lighting project.

APTA: The Best Soccer Field Lighting Fixture

Access Fixtures’ APTA sports lighter is the best option to light any soccer field regardless of size or level of play. No matter the location, these high-powered fixtures get the job done.

The APTI is an energy-efficient luminaire that emits 125+ luminaire lumens per watt. It is available in multiple wattages and different combinations of these wattages may be used to create a perfectly even lighting solution for a soccer field. In terms of longevity, these fixtures are best in class. They are L70 rated at over 250,000 hours, compared to a traditional metal halide fixture that would only last for 15,000 hours. Sports lighting is a pain to replace, so it is better and more cost effective for these fixtures to last as long as possible. APTI luminaires feature custom optics, finish, and color temperature.

APTI fixtures are IP67 rated, making them submersible, dustproof, corrosion-proof, and bug-proof. Their modular design means that if one module breaks, the others will still continue to function. This design also makes them incredibly easy to replace. APTI fixtures are guaranteed with an Access Fixtures warranty for five years after the purchase date.

The APTI fixtures can be mounted several different ways on different pole styles. Access Fixtures carries steel, aluminum, and fiberglass poles with a large assortment of mounting options. Mounting equipment and hardware are included with any purchase of a soccer field lighting package. Depending on the location, customer preference, and amount of fixtures, one might choose one type of pole over another. Generally, questions of design are up to the customer’s discretion. Please note that soccer field lighting should only be installed by a licensed electrician!

Great Lighting is Our Goal

Soccer field lighting just became more convenient than ever. Any soccer field, no matter the level of play, can be lit with long-lasting and efficient LED fixtures. The fastest way to obtain lighting for your soccer field is to request a photometric analysis from Access Fixtures. A photometric analysis will take all the factors of your soccer field into account and generate a computerized report of the lighting on your field with the best available optics and luminaires. This will provide the most accurate and even lighting for your project. Feel free to ask our lighting specialists any questions you may have regarding your soccer field project or any other project.