Lighting requirements for athletics by level
For athletics, DIN EN 12193 gives 100 lx for training (Class III), 200 lx for regional competitions (Class II) and 500 lx for national and international competitions (Class I). For television broadcasts, World Athletics sets at least 1,000 lx vertical towards the fixed camera. For the German Championships, the DLV requires floodlighting of at least 1,000 lux.
From Leon Weber, Key Account Manager Sport · As of:
Overview by level
The standard assigns lighting classes according to competition level: international Class I, regional Class I or II, local Class I, II or III, training Class II or III, school and recreational sport Class III. World Athletics and the DLV set their own requirements.
| League / level | Lighting class / requirement | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Training, school and recreational sport | III | 100 lx, U 0.5, GR ≤ 55 |
| Leisure and training | World Athletics | 75 lx, U 0.5, GR ≤ 50 |
| Regional and local competitions | II | 200 lx, U 0.5, GR ≤ 55 |
| Club competitions | World Athletics | 200 lx, U 0.6, GR ≤ 50 |
| National and international competitions | I / World Athletics | 500 lx, U 0.7, GR ≤ 50 |
| German Championships | DLV | Floodlighting of at least 1,000 lux |
| Television, national and international | World Athletics | 1,000 lx vertical towards the fixed camera, U 0.6, Ra from 80 |
| Television, World Championships and Olympics | World Athletics | 1,400 lx vertical towards the fixed camera, 1,800 lx towards slow motion, 2,000 lx towards the photo finish, Ra from 90 |
| Finish area of the running tracks | additionally | 1,000 lx vertical |
lx = average horizontal illuminance (except Ecam), U = uniformity (Emin/Em), GR = glare rating. Minimum values per DIN EN 12193 unless stated otherwise.
What do the values mean?
Lux tells you how much light reaches the pitch. Uniformity shows how evenly it is distributed, and the glare rating how strongly the floodlights cause glare.
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Illuminance (lx): How much light falls on a surface. 1 lx equals 1 lumen per square metre. For sports facilities, the average horizontal illuminance on the playing area is usually given.
Uniformity (U): Lowest divided by average illuminance. The closer the value is to 1, the more even the light.
Glare rating (GR): Assesses how strongly floodlights cause glare at outdoor facilities, on a scale from 10 (no glare) to 90 (unbearable glare).
Floodlighting for training and recreational sport
DIN EN 12193 provides for Class II or III for training and Class III for school and recreational sport. In Class III that is 100 lx at a uniformity of 0.5.
For leisure and training, World Athletics gives 75 lx at 0.5. If only the running track is used and the infield lighting stays off, the uniformity should be at least 0.25.
Floodlighting for regional and club competitions
For regional competitions the standard permits Class I or II, and for local ones Class III as well. In Class II that is 200 lx at a uniformity of 0.5 and a glare rating of up to GR 55.
For club competitions, World Athletics also sets 200 lx, but with a uniformity of 0.6, glare rating up to 50, colour rendering Ra from 65 and a colour temperature above 4000 K.
Floodlighting for national and international competitions
The standard and World Athletics agree here: 500 lx at a uniformity of 0.7 and a glare rating of up to 50. World Athletics also gives Ra from 80 and a colour temperature above 4000 K.
The World Athletics values are maintained values. The new-installation value is therefore higher by a factor of 1.25.
Floodlighting for German Championships
In its requirements profile for the German Championships for men and women, the DLV requires floodlighting of at least 1,000 lux. It also requires certification of the competition area to at least World Athletics Class 2.
For the German Championships in youth, combined events and the team championships, the DLV requires floodlighting without a lux value. Ask during the bidding process what applies in the individual case.
Floodlighting for television broadcasts
For national and international competitions, World Athletics sets at least 1,000 lx vertical towards the fixed camera, at a uniformity of 0.6 and Ra from 80. For television operation the colour temperature lies between 4000 and 6500 K.
For World Championships and Olympic Games it is 1,400 lx towards the fixed camera, 1,800 lx towards the slow-motion camera, 1,000 lx towards the mobile camera and 2,000 lx towards the photo-finish camera, with Ra from 90 and above 5500 K. The vertical light should match the horizontal: the ratio lies between 0.5 and 2.
Finish area of the running tracks
According to licht.wissen, a vertical illuminance of 1,000 lx is required in the finish area so that judges can rule reliably and the photo finish is conclusive.
Throwing and jumping facilities
World Athletics and UK Athletics do not give throwing and jumping their own lux values. The British federation UK Athletics requires the same values on the running track and the technical facilities for its certification.
For high equipment and jumps, the whole space matters: discus, javelin and hammer can fly above the lighting plane and become temporarily invisible. In the pole vault, no luminaires may be placed in the main line of sight. For television, World Athletics calculates vertical light at athlete height where required: around 2.5 m for the high jump and around 6 m for the pole vault.
Masts around the running track
World Athletics and UK Athletics require masts to be at least 4 m from the edge of the running track. For the mast, World Athletics gives as a first estimate an angle of at least 25° from the centre of the field to the centre of the floodlight, and no floodlight should be tilted more than 70° from the vertical.
If a pitch is surrounded by the running track, six masts are generally enough according to licht.wissen, but with more and more powerful floodlights.
Frequently asked questions
How many lux does an athletics facility need for training?
Under DIN EN 12193, at least 100 lx in Class III at a uniformity of 0.5. World Athletics gives 75 lx for leisure and training.
How many lux does a German Championship need?
In its requirements profile for the German Championships for men and women, the DLV requires floodlighting of at least 1,000 lux. For the championships in youth, combined events and the team championships, it requires floodlighting without a lux value.
How much light does athletics need on television?
World Athletics sets at least 1,000 lx vertical towards the fixed camera for national and international competitions, and 1,400 lx for World Championships and Olympic Games.
Do throwing and jumping facilities need their own lux values?
World Athletics and UK Athletics give none for them. What matters is that the space above the facility is also lit, because equipment flies high and pole vaulters reach about 6 m.
Sources
- DIN EN 12193 according to licht.wissen 08, p. 21
- World Athletics, Facilities Manual 2008, Table 5.1.3.1
- DIN EN 12193 according to licht.wissen 08, p. 21; World Athletics, Table 5.1.3.1
- DLV, requirements profile for German championships M/F, as of 1 September 2026
- World Athletics, Facilities Manual 2008, Table 5.1.3.2
- licht.wissen 08, p. 21
- DLV: requirements profile German Championships youth, as of 14 April 2026
- DLV: requirements profile German Championships combined events, as of 14 April 2026
- DLV: requirements profile team championships, as of 15 April 2026
- UK Athletics: TrackMark Unit 5, Sports Lighting
- Sport England: Artificial Sports Lighting, Design Guidance Note 2012, pp. 34 f.
- Football associations of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia: Lighting of football pitches (2019), p. 12
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