Overview
The French ministry for sport's Data ES database defines a free-access facility as one that is open to everyone at all times, not fenced off, and usable for sport without supervision. Its own example is a football pitch you can use around the clock. That is the kind of pitch Oukonjou lists: not a locked stadium, but the place where you can kick a ball around on the way home from school or work.
Surfaces vary. Natural grass is pleasant underfoot but cuts up in wet weather. Stabilised gravel, a compacted mix of sand and fine stones, wears well but is unforgiving when you fall. Artificial turf gives a consistent bounce all year round. A good free-access pitch has firmly anchored goals, visible lines, ground without holes and, ideally, fencing or a ball-stop net so you are not chasing the ball into the road.
Small pitches enclosed by barriers, with goals and often basketball hoops built in, are multisport courts: you will find them under multisport courts. Some Brussels parks also have teqball tables, for a hands-free ball game played on a curved table.
Where to find football pitches
109 football pitches listed in 39 towns.
By country
- Football pitches in France 46
- Football pitches in Switzerland 28
- Football pitches in Belgium 24
- Football pitches in Luxembourg 8
- Football pitches in Andorra 3
Best-equipped towns
- Zurich 10
- Paris 7
- Antwerp 5
- Bern 5
- Basel 5
- Marseille 4
- Toulouse 4
- Strasbourg 4
- Grenoble 4
- Namur 4
- Ghent 4
- Lausanne 4
- Differdange 4
- Lyon 3
- Nantes 3
- Brussels 3
- Charleroi 3
- Arlon 3
- Lille 2
- Rennes 2
Who it's for
Rules of the game
Competitive football follows the IFAB Laws of the Game. On a free-access pitch there is no referee, teams are smaller and players agree their own adaptations. Here are the basics to settle before kick-off.
- Pick balanced teams with equal numbers. On a free pitch, five-a-side on part of the field is common.
- Agree on a time limit or a number of goals before you start. When others are waiting, the losing team steps off.
- Only the goalkeeper may handle the ball, and only inside their area. If no area is marked, agree on its limits together.
- When the ball goes out over a touchline, the team that did not touch it last restarts play, by hand or by foot as agreed.
- Ball out behind the goal: a corner if a defender touched it last, otherwise a goal kick or a throw from the keeper.
- A foul (pushing, tripping, deliberate handball) gives the other team a free kick. With no referee, the player who committed it owns up.
- Offside is part of the Laws of the Game but is rarely played in pick-up matches. Decide before you start to avoid arguments.
- If you cannot agree on a call, restart with a dropped ball rather than arguing.
Safety and gear
- Never hang from the crossbar or climb on the goals: a badly anchored goal can tip over and cause serious injury.
- Before you play, check that the goals are fixed to the ground or weighted down. Do not use a loose, movable goal.
- Wear shin pads, even for a casual game: contact is frequent.
- Match your footwear to the surface: moulded studs on grass, turf shoes or flat soles on gravel and artificial turf.
- Avoid slide tackles on gravel and artificial turf, which cause burns and grazes.
- If the ball runs towards a road, do not chase it without looking. Keep a close eye on children.
- Warm up for a few minutes and drink regularly, especially in summer.
Regulations
Derived from Decree No. 96-495 of 4 June 1996, these articles set safety requirements for football, handball and hockey goals and for basketball hoops, outdoors and indoors. Goals must be anchored, or weighted with counterweights, so that they hold firm when someone hangs or swings from the bar. A non-compliant goal must be made inaccessible immediately by its owner or operator, who must also maintain it so that it stays compliant.
EN 748 covers football goals. Free-access multisport courts fall under EN 15312, a new version of which was published in March 2026.
European standards are adopted in Belgium (NBN EN), Switzerland (SN EN) and Luxembourg. Compliance is voluntary, but after an accident the courts will in practice check whether they were followed.
Under the French Public Health Code (Article R.1336-5), no noise may disturb the peace of the neighbourhood through its duration, repetition or intensity. The mayor can set opening hours for the pitch by municipal order.
Go by the rules displayed at the entrance, often in Catalan, the country's official language.
Access and conditions of use are those shown on site by the pitch manager.
European standards are voluntary, but they are the reference when an accident happens. The rules posted on site always come first.
Etiquette
- If more players turn up, bring them in or rotate teams rather than keeping the pitch to yourselves.
- Leave room for younger players: half a pitch is often enough for two games at once.
- Avoid hammering the ball against fences and hoardings near homes, especially in the evening.
- Stick to the posted opening hours and leave when the pitch closes.
- Take your bottles and rubbish with you, and do not leave burst balls lying around.
- Do not hang on the goal nets: they wear out quickly and are not always replaced.
Glossary
- Top corner
- The angle where the crossbar meets a post. A shot into the top corner is very hard to save.
- Nutmeg
- Playing the ball through an opponent's legs and collecting it on the other side.
- One-two
- A pass to a teammate who plays it straight back to you, to get past a defender. Also called a wall pass.
- Rush goalie
- In a pick-up game, a player who guards the goal while also joining the outfield play, when nobody is in goal full time.
- Keepy-uppies
- Keeping the ball in the air without letting it touch the ground, using your feet, thighs or head.
- Throw-in
- Restarting play after the ball crosses a touchline. In competition it is taken with both hands, from behind and over the head.
- Corner kick
- Awarded to the attacking side when the ball goes out behind the goal after a defender touched it last.
- Slide tackle
- Sliding in to win the ball from an opponent. Best avoided on hard or artificial surfaces.
In Brussels, more than 80% of the sports facilities in public space are football pitches, basketball courts or pétanque courts, according to Brussels Environment.
What to bring
- Football
- Shin pads
- Boots or trainers suited to the surface
- Cones or bibs to mark out the pitch and the teams
- Water bottle
FAQ
Is the pitch free to use?
Yes, the pitches listed as free-access on Oukonjou cost nothing and need no booking. Some full-size council pitches are reserved for clubs at certain times, which is usually shown on a sign at the entrance.
A club is training on the pitch. Can I still play?
If the pitch is booked for a club during that slot, wait until the session ends or find another pitch on the map. Outside reserved slots, it is open to everyone again.
Which boots should I wear?
Moulded studs on natural grass; turf shoes or flat soles on gravel and artificial turf. Some artificial pitches ban screw-in studs in their rules.
A goal is broken or loose. What should I do?
Do not use it and keep children away. Let the owner know, usually the local council. In France, a non-compliant goal must be made inaccessible immediately by its owner or operator.
Can I play in the evening?
That depends on the lighting and on the opening hours set by the local council, which may restrict access by municipal order to keep the neighbourhood quiet.
A pitch is missing from the map. How do I report it?
Suggest it on the “Suggest a facility” page: every suggestion is checked before it is published. In France, its owner can also declare it in the official Data ES database at equipements.sports.gouv.fr. Elsewhere, you can add it to OpenStreetMap.