Project: TSV Aubstadt – LED sports field lighting for a football pitch

German football club TSV Aubstadt replaced the 32 old 2,500W floodlights around its 100 × 60 m pitch with 32 LED sports field lights 1500W, mounted at 16 m. The pitch now gets at least 400 lux everywhere, where the old installation averaged 250 lux, with 40% less power.

Project facts

Club	TSV Aubstadt, football
Location	Aubstadt, Germany
Pitch	Football pitch 100 × 60 m (6,000 m²)
Completed	2026
Old lighting	32 × floodlight 2,500W
New lighting	32 × LED sports field light 1500W, 40°, 5000K
Mounting	Masts at 16 m, on brackets
Control	Dimmable
Illuminance	Before 250 lux average, after minimum 400 lux
Planning	DIALux light study

The starting point

TSV Aubstadt plays its home matches on a pitch with a covered stand, surrounded by trees and close to the village. The pitch was lit by 32 old floodlights of 2,500W each.

Not enough light for evening matches

With around 250 lux on average and several failed lamps, the light was uneven, with weaker zones in the corners and along the touchlines. For evening matches the club wanted a clearly higher and more even light level.

High consumption

The 32 floodlights drew 80,000W together. At around 850 hours a year for training and matches, that is 68,000 kWh of electricity, and the old lamps needed several minutes to reach full light.

The solution

Light study for a higher level of play

The DIALux light study aimed for at least 400 lux at every point of the pitch, well above the 200 lux that EN 12193 sets for regional competition. Every floodlight got its own aiming angle so that the light overlaps evenly on the pitch and stays away from the stand, the trees and the houses nearby. More on lux levels per competition class in our guide How many lux does a football pitch need?, and on keeping light where it belongs in our guide on light pollution and outdoor LED lighting.

32 LED sports field lights 1500W, 40°

Each LED sports field light 1500W delivers 255,000 lumen at 170 lm/W, so the 32 floodlights together produce more than 8 million lumen. The narrow 40° beam is suited to the 16 m masts: it reaches far across the pitch with little spill outside it. Daylight white 5000K gives good contrast for players, referees and cameras, and the IP66 floodlights are dimmable for training at lower output. See all sports field lighting.

LED luminaire used in this project

Energy savings in figures

Every old floodlight was replaced by one LED sports field light. The table compares the old installation with the new one.

	Old	LED	Difference
Floodlights	32 × 2,500W	32 × 1500W LED	−1,000W per floodlight
Connected load	80,000W	48,000W	−40%
Load per m²	13.3W/m²	8.0W/m²	−5.3W/m²
Illuminance	250 lux average	400 lux minimum	Much more and more even light
Consumption per year	68,000 kWh	40,800 kWh	−27,200 kWh
Electricity cost per year	€26,520	€15,912	−€10,608
CO2 per year	10.2 t	6.1 t	−4.1 t

How we calculated this

• Old: 32 × 2,500W = 80,000W × 850 h = 68,000 kWh per year.
• LED: 32 × 1500W = 48,000W × 850 h = 40,800 kWh per year.
• Cost: 27,200 kWh × €0.39/kWh = €10,608 per year.
• CO2: 27,200 kWh × 0.15 kg/kWh = 4.1 t per year.

These figures assume full power at all times. Training at dimmed output saves more.

Investment and payback

At current webshop prices, the 32 LED sports field lights cost €31,186. Half of the investment was covered by a subsidy, leaving €15,593. With €10,608 lower electricity costs per year, that amount is earned back in about a year and a half. Installation is not included in that figure.

Calculate the savings for your pitch

The calculator below is pre-filled with the figures of this project. Change the values to see what LED would save on your own pitch.

The result

• Match-level light: at least 400 lux everywhere on the pitch, instead of 250 lux on average.
• 40% less power: 48,000W instead of 80,000W for the same 32 floodlights.
• Instant full light: no warm-up time before kick-off or after a power interruption.
• Neighbour-friendly: carefully aimed 40° beams keep the light on the pitch.
• Lower running costs: €10,608 less on electricity every year and 4.1 tonnes less CO2.

Another football project with the same floodlight: Patro Eisden Maasmechelen.

Frequently asked questions

How much light does a pitch for league matches need?

EN 12193 sets around 75 lux for training and recreational play, 200 lux for regional competition and 500 lux for top-level competition, with requirements for uniformity as well. TV broadcasts need additional vertical light. At TSV Aubstadt every point of the pitch now gets at least 400 lux.

How many floodlights does a 100 × 60 m pitch need?

That depends on the required light level, the mast positions and the mast height. For 200 lux, far fewer floodlights are needed than for 400 lux or more. Here 32 floodlights of 1500W at 16 m deliver a minimum of 400 lux. A DIALux light study gives the exact number for your pitch.

How do you avoid glare for players and goalkeepers?

By choosing the right mast height and beam, and aiming every floodlight carefully. With a 40° beam at 16 m, the floodlights can be aimed at a steep angle onto the pitch, which keeps glare low for players looking up and for goalkeepers.

How are LED floodlights aimed after installation?

The light study gives a horizontal and vertical angle for every floodlight. After mounting, each floodlight is set to its angle, as in the photo from the aerial work platform, and the result is checked with lux measurements on the pitch.

Is there funding for LED floodlights for football clubs?

In many countries and regions, sports clubs can get funding for energy-saving sports lighting, through governments, sports federations or municipalities. On this project half of the luminaire investment was covered by a subsidy. We supply the technical data and light study needed for the application.

Can you make a free light plan for our pitch?

Yes. Send us the pitch size, the mast positions and heights, and the level you play at. We make a free DIALux light study and send a non-binding quote at direct-import prices.