Field Goal Distance Calculator - Calculator Academy

Enter the distance from the scrimmage line to the goal line (yds) into the Field Goal Distance Calculator. The calculator will evaluate and display the Field Goal Distance.

Field Goal Distance Formula

FG Distance = Yards to Goal Line + 10 + 7

FG Distance — total yards of the kick, holder spot to crossbar
Yards to Goal Line — distance from the line of scrimmage to the goal line
10 — depth of the end zone (goal line to goal post)
7 — distance from line of scrimmage back to the holder

If you know the ball spot on an opponent’s yard line, that number equals yards to the goal line. If the ball is on your own yard line, use 100 minus that yard line. To work backwards from a kicker’s range, subtract 17 from the range to get how close to the goal line the offense must reach.

Reference Tables

Field goal distance for common ball spots, assuming a 7-yard snap and 10-yard end zone:

Ball Spot	Yards to Goal	FG Distance
Opp. 2	2	19 yds
Opp. 10	10	27 yds
Opp. 20	20	37 yds
Opp. 30	30	47 yds
Opp. 33	33	50 yds
Opp. 40	40	57 yds
50	50	67 yds

How to read the result:

Distance	Difficulty
Under 20 yds	Chip shot, near-automatic
20–39 yds	Routine for NFL kickers (~95%)
40–49 yds	Common long attempt (~80%)
50–59 yds	Long; success rate drops sharply (~65%)
60–66 yds	Near record range
67+ yds	Beyond NFL record (Tucker, 66 yds)

Example

Problem: The ball is on the opponent’s 28-yard line. How long is the field goal?

Solution: 28 + 10 + 7 = 45 yards.

Why add 17? The goal posts sit at the back of the 10-yard end zone, and the holder spots the ball 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Both add to the kick.

College and high school? The end zone and snap depth are the same, so the 17-yard rule applies. The only differences are hash mark width and goal post width, which affect angle, not distance.