Over the years, football customs and fashions have seen many changes in players' kits, tactics, spectators, grounds facilities, new stadiums and so on, but there are two dependable constants:

a pitch to play on

posts between which goals are scored.

To these basic ingredients, add a football and the result is a game which has been played in some form or another for over two and a half thousand years and has brought pleasure to millions either through playing or watching or talking or listening or reading or supporting.

1863

This was the year the Football Association (FA) was formed

One of its first laws was about the size and shape of the pitch. It must be a rectangle no more than 200 yards long and 100 yards wide, marked off with a flag at each corner.
In those days there were no proper football grounds. Games were played in any space that could be found. Often a field near a pub where the players could change into their football strip.

1882

The FA ruled that:

the four edges of a football pitch must be clearly marked. The two longer lines are called touch-lines, the two shorter lines are called goal lines.

goalposts must be 8 yards wide and 8 feet high.

By 1887 there were more markings:

the half-way line

the centre circle

the 6 yard hoops in front of each goal and quarter circles at each corner of the boundary lines around each flag. The ball is placed here for corner kicks.
The pitch size was also changed:


The largest pitch allowed was130 yards long by 100 yards wide.

The smallest pitch allowed was100 yards long by 50 yards wide

The pitch must be rectangula

The current rules for pitch sizes are still the same today and apply to all league clubs.

1890

Two more pitch markings were added.

A line right across the pitch, 12 yards from each goal line. The ball was placed on this line for penalty kicks.

A short line 18 yards from the goal line. All players must now stand behind this short line while a penalty kick is taken.

Goal nets were approved by the FA.

1909

Now the pitch begins to look more like the one we know today.

The goal hoops were changed into rectangles 6 yards wide and 20 yards long and called goal areas.

The lines right across the pitch were also changed into rectangles 18 yds wide and 44 yds long and called penalty areas.

A spot was added to place the ball on for penalty kicks.

No further changes were made to pitch markings for 28 years

1937

The penalty arc was added to the penalty box.

Players must stand behind this line to make sure they are at least 10 yards from the ball while a penalty kick is taken.

There have been no changes to the pitch markings since 1937.

The only feature to have survived from the earliest laws is the corner flags, each on a post not less than 5 feet high.