Asoccer-specific stadium, mainly in theUnited States andCanada,[1] is a sports stadium either purpose-built or fundamentally redesigned forsoccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to amulti-purpose stadium which is for a variety of sports. A soccer-specific stadium may host other sporting events (such aslacrosse,American football andrugby) and concerts, but the design and purpose of a soccer-specific stadium is primarily for soccer. Some facilities (for exampleSeatGeek Stadium,Toyota Stadium andHistoric Crew Stadium) have a permanent stage at one end of the stadium used for staging concerts.
A soccer-specific stadium typically has amenities, dimensions and scale suitable for soccer in North America, including a scoreboard, video screen, luxury suites and possibly a roof. The field dimensions are within the range found optimal byFIFA: 110–120 yards (100–110 m) long by 70–80 yards (64–75 m) wide.[2] These soccer field dimensions are wider than the regulationAmerican football field width of53+1⁄3 yards (48.8 m), or the 65-yard (59 m) width of aCanadian football field. The playing surface typically consists ofgrass as opposed toartificial turf, as the latter is generally disfavored for soccer matches since players are more susceptible to injuries.[3] However, some soccer-specific stadiums, such as Portland'sProvidence Park and Creighton University'sMorrison Stadium, do have artificial turf.
Theseating capacity is generally between 18,000 and 30,000 for aMajor League Soccer franchise,[4] or smaller for college orminor league soccer teams. This is in comparison to the much larger American football stadiums that mostly range between 60,000 and 80,000 in which theoriginal North American Soccer League teams played and most MLS teams occupied during the league's inception.[5] As opposed to gridiron-style football stadiums, where the front row of seats is elevated several feet above the field of play to allow spectators to see over the heads of substitute players and coaches on the sidelines, soccer-specific venues typically have the front row closer to the level of the pitch.[6][7]
Columbus Crew Stadium (nowHistoric Crew Stadium) was the first soccer-specific stadium in MLS.
In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, first-division professional soccer leagues in the United States, such as the North American Soccer League and Major League Soccer, primarily usedAmerican football fields, many of which were oversized in terms of seating capacity and undersized in terms of the width of the soccer field; they often usedartificial turf (none of which, at the time, were approved for international soccer under FIFA rules).[citation needed] Although many of thebaseball parks had smaller capacities, natural grass, and a wider field, these parks were generally in use during summer, when North American–based soccer leagues, such as Major League Soccer, also hold their seasons, and the irregular field dimensions and sightlines were often considered undesirable.
The term "soccer-specific stadium" was coined byLamar Hunt, who financed the construction ofColumbus Crew Stadium, the first soccer-specific stadium constructed specifically for Major League Soccer.[8] In the 2000s, other Major League Soccer teams in the United States began constructing their own stadiums. Canada's first soccer-specific stadium wasBMO Field inToronto, home toToronto FC. This stadium was renovated to accommodateCanadian football for the 2016 and subsequent seasons.[10] The distinction is less prominent in Canada, where MLS's attendance figures are comparable to those of the domesticCanadian Football League, and the CFL's wider field means fewer compromises must be made to accommodate both;Tim Hortons Field was built purposely to both soccer specifications and CFL regulations. Of the three Canadian cities that host both MLS and CFL teams, only one (Montreal) has separate stadiums for each.
AllUSL Championship teams andUSL League One teams have been required to play in self-owned, soccer-specific stadiums by the 2025 season. The following is a list of current USL stadiums, including the women's professional leagueUSL Super League, that are soccer-specific stadiums:
The term "football-specific stadium" is sometimes used in countries where the sport is known as football rather than soccer, although the term is not common in countries where association football is the dominant sport and thus football-specific stadiums are quite common. The term tends to have a slightly different meaning in these countries, usually referring to a stadium without anathleticstrack surrounding the field.[11][12] Some soccer stadiums in Europe are also used for other sports, including rugby, American football, and field hockey. The problem with oversized stadiums designed for another sport is particularly visible in European American football leagues and conflicts between teams sharing the stadium (a notable example areEintracht Braunschweig and theBraunschweig Lions which share a stadium) and (often municipal) owners of the stadiums sometimes arise, leading to attempts at single sport-specific venues.[13]
In Australia, the term has much the same meaning as in the United States. The dominance ofAustralian rules football in the southern states means that unlike inNew South Wales andQueensland, rectangular stadiums and grounds capable of hosting top levelA-League soccer are rare.Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, South Australia is an example of such a soccer-specific stadium. Being built in the 1960s and progressively updated, the vast majority of matches played there are soccer, with very rare rugby league or rugby union games. TheWyndham City Stadium and Wyndham Regional Football Facility are also examples. Many of the lower-tier state league clubs own their own venues, which also qualify as soccer-specific.
^Was made soccer-specific following renovations in 2011. Previously used for football and baseball.
^Almost exclusively as a baseball park for over 60 years. However, since the Rowdies moved to the facility in 2011, it has been reconfigured to better host soccer.
^Previously a baseball stadium for theLancaster JetHawks. Following the folding of the JetHawks due to the reconfiguration of Minor League Ballpark, the stadium was renovated for soccer.
^"Laws of the Game 2010/2011"(PDF). FIFA. p. 7. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on July 4, 2010. RetrievedOctober 9, 2010. Although the officialLaws of the Game allow for pitches in adult matches to be 100–130 yards (90–120 m) long by 50–100 yards (45–90 m) wide. The more restrictive range is specified for international matches like the ones used in theFIFA World Cup.
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