Soccer is one sport that can be played all year round at any time of the day. Most matches kick off in the afternoon, but many don’t start until 7 or 8 in the evening.
This bodes the question – can you play soccer at night? And if so, what do you need to know before you take to the field? Let’s find out.
Should you play soccer at night?
Playing soccer at night is perfectly safe, providing you take some simple precautions and use common sense. Of course, the most important thing is to play under lights, as it’s nigh on impossible to play soccer when it’s pitch black! Most sports centers and football grounds have floodlights, so you will need to turn them on before playing in the dark. Otherwise, playing soccer at night isn’t too different from playing the game during the day!
What do you need to do before playing soccer at night?
Given that many people work during the day in the week, it’s not always possible to play soccer during daylight hours. In many parts of the country, it gets dark early in the evening at certain times of the year, meaning you don’t have much time to play outside when your work or school day is done.
However, you don’t really need to think too much about the absence of light, as soccer can be played at any time, providing you take the necessary steps to make it safe. The main thing you need to do before playing soccer at night is to ensure you’re playing at a place with sufficient lighting.
If you’re arranging night training or a match for the first time at night, be sure to call ahead and make sure the venue has floodlights available. You will also need to enquire about the charge, as many venues will make you pay to put the lights on.
Providing you find an appropriate place to play your match, you’re pretty much all set! We run through some top tips on how to play soccer in the dark in one of the following sections to help you prepare thoroughly for your first evening under the lights!
Is playing soccer at night more dangerous?
Playing soccer at night isn’t really any more dangerous than playing soccer during the day. However, you need to make sure you’re playing at a venue with sufficient lighting, as mentioned above. If visibility is poor during your game, then you’re much more likely to get injured.
Another thing to think about is that if you’re playing in a park after dark, the chances of crime occurring are slightly higher than usual. If it’s an official game with referees and spectators, then you shouldn’t have a problem.
But heading out at night into a local park where crime is sometimes an issue after dark isn’t a smart move. You should look for proper sporting venues near you or purpose-built soccer centers to ensure you don’t endanger yourself when you’re playing with your buddies.
Does soccer become more difficult after dark?
If you’ve never played soccer after dark, it might take a little while for you to get used to it. While it’s not necessarily more difficult, some people struggle to pick up the ball as easily, particularly when it’s in the air.
This is because the ball flight is often caught up in the glare from the headlights, which can make it difficult to see precisely where the ball is heading!
But other than this, playing soccer after dark isn’t any more difficult than playing during the day, providing you have sufficient lighting at the venue. But if you’re nervous about playing soccer at night for the first time, we’ve got four top tips for you below that will help you prepare in the right way for this new soccer experience!
Four tips for playing soccer at night
Playing soccer at night is a little like playing in the snow or when the weather isn’t ideal; it’s a good idea to take a couple of precautions before you kick-off. Here are four tips on how to ensure your first experience of playing soccer at night is a good one:
Play under the lights
It goes without saying that you should play soccer at a venue that has sufficient light if you’re playing after dark. Most soccer facilities and stadiums have floodlights, so this shouldn’t be an issue.
As mentioned above, just bear in mind that you might have to pay extra to use the floodlights, so it’s worth thinking about this when you reserve the pitch for your match.
Wear suitable clothing
In most cases, when you play soccer at night, it will be considerably cooler than when you play during the day. While this shouldn’t be too much of an issue if you’re actually playing, you will need to think about the clothes you wear when you’re on the sidelines.
Consider wearing a full tracksuit for your warm-up and keep it handy if you’re on the bench. There’s nothing worse than standing on the sidelines freezing when you’ve forgotten to bring suitable clothing along to the match!
Play with a yellow ball
Although the floodlights will help you navigate your way around the soccer field after dark, it’s still helpful to play the match with the right colored ball.
This yellow Adidas Capitano ball is an excellent option and is available for a great price. It will make the game that little bit easier when you’re playing after dark and is definitely worth the investment.
Keep the ball on the floor
Although you probably won’t be too greatly affected by the floodlights, keeping the ball on the floor whenever you can will prevent the ball from getting lost in the lights. While the occasional long ball won’t do you any harm, encouraging your team to keep the ball on the floor will definitely help you out.
After all, if the ball gets lost in the glare of the floodlights, it will be much more difficult for your goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet!
The verdict: Playing soccer at night
As you can see, playing soccer at night is absolutely possible, you just need to prepare in the right way. The most important thing is to make sure the pitch is suitably lit, as playing in the dark means someone is more likely to get injured. It also won’t be particularly fun!
Hopefully, you can use the tips that we’ve introduced above to make your first experience of playing soccer in the dark a memorable one, and you can now add a midweek game of soccer to your diary!