Lighting requirements for tennis courts by league
DIN EN 12193 divides the lighting of sports facilities into three classes: Class I for top-level competitions (national and international), Class II for regional and local competitions, Class III for simple competitions, training, school and recreational sport. Which class a league needs depends on how the competition is classified and, where applicable, on association requirements. For outdoor tennis these are at least 500, 300 and 200 lx, and indoors 750, 500 and 300 lx.
From Leon Weber, Key Account Manager Sport · As of:
Overview by league
The standard assigns lighting classes by 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. Below the Regionalliga, the leagues are named differently depending on the state association. Association requirements may differ.
| League / level | Lighting class (DIN EN 12193) | Outdoor | Indoor | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lx | U | lx | U | ||
| 1. and 2. Bundesliga | I | 500 | 0.7 | 750 | 0.7 |
| Regionalliga | II or I | 300 | 0.7 | 500 | 0.7 |
| Oberliga, Verbandsliga, Landesliga | II or I | 300 | 0.7 | 500 | 0.7 |
| Bezirksliga and Kreisliga | III to I | 300 / 200 | 0,7 / 0,6 | 500 / 300 | 0,7 / 0,5 |
| Training | III or II | 200 / 300 | 0,6 / 0,7 | 300 / 500 | 0,5 / 0,7 |
| School and recreational sport | III | 200 | 0.6 | 300 | 0.5 |
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).
Tennis Bundesliga lighting requirement
Bundesliga matches are national competitions and therefore fall into Class I: outdoors at least 500 lx at a uniformity of 0.7, indoors 750 lx at 0.7.
In the 1. and 2. Bundesliga, play takes place in front of spectators, often with video recording or broadcasting. Besides horizontal illuminance on the court, vertical illuminance towards the camera, flicker-free light and colour rendering then also count.
Clarify early whether the association or broadcasting partner has its own requirements. These often go beyond the standard and determine the number, position and output of the floodlights.
For high requirements from about 500 lx there is the STL1500.
Tennis Regionalliga lighting requirement
The Regionalligen (Nord-Ost, West, Süd-West, Süd-Ost) form the tier below the Bundesligen. For regional competitions, DIN EN 12193 permits Class I or II. The minimum is Class II: outdoors 300 lx at a uniformity of 0.7, indoors 500 lx at 0.7.
Two light scenes therefore make sense: full output for league matches, dimmed for training. The Series 12 floodlights are dimmable via 0–10 V.
Tennis Oberliga, Verbandsliga and Landesliga lighting requirement
Below the Regionalliga, the state associations organise match play, with Oberligen and Landes- or Verbandsligen. For regional competitions, at least Class II applies: outdoors 300 lx at 0.7.
In team matches, several courts are in use at the same time. All competition courts then need the same light quality, so that no court is at a disadvantage. Each court nevertheless remains individually switchable.
Tennis Bezirksliga and Kreisliga lighting requirement
For local competitions, DIN EN 12193 permits Classes I, II or III. This is usually Class III (200 lx) or Class II (300 lx). The requirements of your state association are decisive.
In the lower leagues, the main question is usually whether the existing facility can be converted. Existing masts can often continue to be used if structure and load capacity are suitable.
Using your details on the existing installation, we calculate the light distribution with real luminaire data and show what the LED retrofit achieves.
Lighting requirement for training, school and recreational sport
For training, DIN EN 12193 provides Class II or III, and for school and recreational sport Class III. Outdoors this means 300 lx (U 0.7) and 200 lx (U 0.6) respectively, and indoors 500 lx (U 0.7) and 300 lx (U 0.5) respectively.
The same applies here: even across the whole court and no glare in the line of sight. Weak, uneven light is just as disturbing in training as in competition.
Indoor tennis hall: different values, ball-impact resistant luminaires
Indoors the values are higher: Class I 750 lx, Class II 500 lx, Class III 300 lx. Our Series 07 high-bay luminaires are ball-impact resistant. So that players are not dazzled by high balls, the luminaires are arranged at the side along the court.
Frequently asked questions
What lighting class does the tennis Regionalliga need?
For regional competitions, DIN EN 12193 permits Class I or II. The minimum is Class II: outdoors 300 lx at a uniformity of 0.7, indoors 500 lx at 0.7. Whether the association requires more, we clarify for your facility.
Is training lighting enough for the Kreisliga?
For local competitions the standard permits Class I, II or III, and for training Class II or III. Pure training lighting under Class III (200 lx) can be enough if the association does not prescribe otherwise. We clarify this before planning.
Can a facility be planned for both training and competition?
Yes. The system is designed for the higher requirement and dimmed for training. The Series 12 floodlights are dimmable via 0–10 V.
Send an enquiry for tennis lighting for your league
Tell us your club and league. We will clarify the requirements and get back to you with an initial assessment.
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