LED floodlighting for football pitches
For football, DIN EN 12193 distinguishes three lighting classes: Class III with 75 lx for training and recreational sport, Class II with 200 lx for regional league play, Class I with 500 lx for national competitions. For the Regionalliga and professional football, requirements of the DFB, state associations and DFL apply in addition.
As of:
Football floodlighting enquiry
What matters with football floodlighting
Sufficient mounting height
Masts that are too low cause glare and uneven illumination.
Switchable in sections
For training, half a pitch or a third of it is often enough.
Retrofit on existing masts
Many facilities still run on metal halide or sodium vapour lamps; when switching to LED we recalculate the light distribution and supply the weights for checking the masts.
Consideration for neighbours
We plan so that as little light as possible falls beyond the pitch.
GR ≤50
Glare rating, strictest level
10 no glare90 unbearable
Glare under control
The glare rating GR shows how much floodlights dazzle players and spectators. DIN EN 12193 limits it for football to a maximum of 50 to 55. We take this into account in the lighting calculation from the start.
- Mast height
- Tilt
- Optics
- Glare protection
Light by playing level
| Average illuminance | Playing level | Lighting class | Uniformity | Glare rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75lx | Training, school and recreational sport | Class III | U 0.5 | GR ≤ 55 |
| 200lx | Regional league play | Class II | U 0.6 | GR ≤ 50 |
| 500lx | National and international competitions | Class I | U 0.7 | GR ≤ 50 |
Lighting requirements by league: from the Kreisliga to the Bundesliga
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).
Suitable floodlights
For full-size pitches with few masts, the STL1443 is usually the right choice.
- Series 12
STL1443
Larger pitches with few masts: football, hockey, athletics.
- Colour temperature
- 3000 K, 4000 K, 5000 K
- Power
- 1,440 W
- Weight
- 27.5 kg
Datasheet as PDF (436 KB) - Series 12
STL1500
High requirements from about 500 lx: competition, higher leagues, stadium.
- Colour temperature
- 3000 K, 4000 K, 5000 K
- Power
- 1,500 W
- Weight
- 28 kg
Datasheet as PDF (333 KB) - Series 12
STL963
Smaller installations and few masts: tennis, padel, training pitches.
- Colour temperature
- 3000 K, 4000 K, 5000 K
- Power
- 960 W
- Weight
- 20 kg
Datasheet as PDF (459 KB)
Frequently asked questions
How is glare assessed in floodlighting?
With the glare rating GR on a scale from 10 (no glare) to 90 (unbearable). For football, DIN EN 12193 sets a maximum of GR 50 in competition and GR 55 in training or recreational sport.
How many lux does a football pitch need?
According to DIN EN 12193, at least 75 lx for training (Class III), 200 lx for regional league play (Class II) and 500 lx for national competitions (Class I). State associations, the DFB and the DFL can prescribe higher values.
How tall do floodlight masts need to be?
The guide from the football associations of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia recommends 16 m for training and 18 to 20 m for competition facilities. The exact height follows from the lighting design.
Can existing masts continue to be used?
Often yes, if structural stability and load capacity are adequate. According to the datasheet, an STL1443 weighs 27.5 kg and an STL1500 28 kg with driver. You provide the details on your masts and are responsible for them. We only check structural stability during an on-site visit.
Is funding available for football floodlighting?
Whether funding is available depends on your country, your region and who applies. We check this with you.
Football floodlighting enquiry
Location and contact are enough. We will get back to you with an initial assessment for your pitch.
One-pager for the board (PDF)One-pager for administration and committees (PDF)
Talk directly
- Floodlighting in the 3. Liga
- Floodlighting in the Regionalliga
- Floodlighting in the Oberliga
- Floodlighting in the Kreisliga and amateur leagues
- Floodlighting too dark or uneven
- Floodlighting dazzles neighbours: what applies and what helps
- LED on existing masts: weight, wind load, structural design
- Mast height and mast layout
- HQI and halogen: what applies to the phase-out
- Funding applications in Germany
- What determines the cost of a floodlight system
- DIN EN 12193 explained
- Flicker in floodlighting: TV, slow motion, video
- Small-sided pitch and mini pitch
- Tendering: content and text modules
- Rugby
- American football
- Car park, access road and paths at sports facilities
