LED lighting for squash courts
In squash, the walls are part of the playing surface: the small, fast ball comes from all directions, and players constantly change their line of sight. Besides illuminance, uniformity is therefore what matters most. DIN EN 12193 gives 300 lx for training and recreational sport and 500 lx for mid-level competition, and since October 2026 World Squash has required at least 750 lx for accredited club and training facilities.
As of:
Send an enquiry for a squash courtWhat matters in the court
Light the walls evenly
The walls should appear evenly bright, and the World Squash specification of 2017 allows a deviation of no more than 15% from the mean.
Arrange the rows of luminaires correctly
A sensible layout is one row of luminaires parallel to the front wall and two parallel to the side walls.
Bright ceiling, bright walls
The ceiling should be bright and matt so that players can see the ball well against it. For this, World Squash gives a reflectance of at least 80%, and at least 50% for front and side walls.
No shadows, no flicker
The light should be shadow-free and show no visible stroboscopic effects.
No daylight from above
No windows or glazed areas are provided above the court, and windows in the walls above it need blinds.
Ball-impact resistant
Our Series 07 high-bay luminaires are ball-impact resistant.
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Glare at the front wall
In squash, players constantly change position and line of sight. Luminaires at the front wall therefore radiate asymmetrically towards the wall and are well glare-controlled towards the player.
- Layout
- Asymmetric optics
- 1 m from the wall
Light by playing level
| Average illuminance | Playing level | Lighting class | Uniformity | Glare rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300lx | Training, school and recreational sport, simple competitions | Class III | U 0.7 | |
| 500lx | Competitions at medium level, performance training | Class II | U 0.7 | |
| 750lx | High-performance sport | Class I | U 0.7 |
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).
Emergency lighting needed too?
If needed, you can get emergency lighting for your site through our sister brand NOTLUX.
To NOTLUXFrequently asked questions
How many lux does a squash court need?
Under DIN EN 12193 it is 300 lx for training, school and recreational sport and simple competitions, 500 lx for mid-level competition and 750 lx for top-level sport, each with a uniformity of 0.7. The World Squash specification of 2017 gave at least 300 lx at 1 m above the floor and recommended 500 lx, or 600 lx with LED.
What has applied since the new World Squash specification?
The edition of 15 October 2026 governs the accreditation of lighting systems. For club and training (Level 1), it gives an average of at least 750 lx on the floor and an average of 500 lx at the front wall, with no measuring point below 400 lx. For competition courts (Level 2), the values are considerably higher. Existing accreditations remain valid until 15 October 2027.
What are the dimensions of a court?
According to World Squash, a singles court measures 9.75 × 6.40 m with a clear height of 5.64 m. Towards the front and back walls the height may decrease, to 5 m and 4 m.
How many luminaires does a court need?
That depends on the luminaire and the ceiling and follows from the lighting calculation. The World Squash specification of 2017 recommended at least 6 LED luminaires in a singles court and 8 in a doubles court, because too few luminaires distribute the light unevenly.
What colour temperature does World Squash specify?
For accreditation, 4000 to 6500 K and a colour rendering index of at least Ra 70. The World Squash specification of 2017 recommended 3500 K or more for LED.
What should be considered with a glass back wall?
According to the World Squash specification of 2017, the light should be the same on both sides of a glass back wall. In courts with four glass walls it is higher inside the court than directly outside, with around 30% considered usual.
Do the luminaires have to be ball-impact resistant?
licht.de calls for this in squash courts. However, DIN 18032-3 does not name the squash ball in its scope. DIN standards are voluntary in principle and become binding through a contract. Specify in the tender and contract which proof you require. Our Series 07 high-bay luminaires are ball-impact resistant.
Send an enquiry for a squash court
Tell us the number of courts, ceiling height and use. We will get back to you with an initial assessment for your facility.
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