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United States · Football parks

Football Ground Near Me: 25 Public Park Pitches

2 November 2026 · 10 min read

Football parks

Twenty-five public soccer / football pitches for families across major US cities — Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Fort Worth, and Dallas. New York City already has a dedicated football guide. Tap a card to open the pin.

Where these parks are

All 25 parks from this guide on one map — tap a pin or share your location to sort by distance.

Share your location to sort these parks by distance and highlight the closest one.

  1. 1

    Lincoln Park soccer fields

    Chicago · 2045 N Lincoln Park West, Chicago, IL

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    Map
  2. 2

    Grant Park · Butler / Hutchinson lawns

    Chicago · Grant Park, Chicago, IL

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  3. 3

    Douglass Park fields

    Chicago · 1401 S Sacramento Blvd, Chicago, IL

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  4. 4

    Washington Park fields

    Chicago · 5531 S Martin Luther King Dr, Chicago, IL

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  5. 5

    Griffith Park soccer fields

    Los Angeles · Crystal Springs Dr, Los Angeles, CA

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  6. 6

    Pan Pacific Park fields

    Los Angeles · 7600 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

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  7. 7

    Sepulveda Basin soccer complex

    Los Angeles · Woodley Ave, Encino, CA

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  8. 8

    Memorial Park · athletic fields

    Houston · 0401 Memorial Loop Dr, Houston, TX

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  9. 9

    Herman Brown Park fields

    Houston · 400 Mercury Dr, Houston, TX

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  10. 10

    Ervan Chew Park lawns

    Houston · 4502 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX

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  11. 11

    Desert West Sports Complex pitches

    Phoenix · 6602 W Encanto Blvd, Phoenix, AZ

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  12. 12

    Reach 11 Sports Complex

    Phoenix · 2425 E Deer Valley Rd, Phoenix, AZ

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  13. 13

    Encanto Sports Complex fields

    Phoenix · 2121 N 15th Ave, Phoenix, AZ

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  14. 14

    FDR Park soccer fields

    Philadelphia · 1500 Pattison Ave, Philadelphia, PA

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  15. 15

    Fairmount Park · Belmont fields

    Philadelphia · Belmont Plateau, Philadelphia, PA

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  16. 16

    Pennypack Park fields

    Philadelphia · Pennypack Park, Philadelphia, PA

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  17. 17

    McAllister Park fields

    San Antonio · 13102 Jones Maltsberger Rd, San Antonio, TX

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  18. 18

    Phil Hardberger Park lawns

    San Antonio · 13203 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX

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  19. 19

    Woodlawn Lake Park fields

    San Antonio · 1103 Cincinnati Ave, San Antonio, TX

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  20. 20

    Mission Bay Athletic Area fields

    San Diego · Mission Bay Park, San Diego, CA

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  21. 21

    Robb Field soccer

    San Diego · 2526 Bacon St, San Diego, CA

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  22. 22

    Balboa Park · Morley Field sports

    San Diego · Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

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  23. 23

    Gateway Park fields

    Fort Worth · 200 Beach St, Fort Worth, TX

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  24. 24

    Sycamore Park fields

    Fort Worth · 2525 E Rosedale St, Fort Worth, TX

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  25. 25

    Kiest Park soccer fields

    Dallas · 3080 S Hampton Rd, Dallas, TX

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Parks in this guide

Tap a park to read its review and watch play-test videos, or jump straight to the map pin.

Loved this United States shortlist? parks and playgrounds next — ParkConnect’s family challenge helps you visit one new park or playground a week, then log it on the map.

How this “football near me” shortlist works

Queries like football ground near me, soccer field close to me, free public football pitches near me, and football pitch near me point to open park grass with room for a kickabout — ideally next to a playground. This hub covers twenty-five pitches in the largest US cities while skipping a full NYC list (already published). Goals and nets are not guaranteed; mark what you find.

The 25 parks

  1. 1Lincoln Park soccer fields · ChicagoNorth Side pitches · playground nearby.Open on map
  2. 2Grant Park · Butler / Hutchinson lawns · ChicagoDowntown open grass · festival closures.Open on map
  3. 3Douglass Park fields · ChicagoWest Side · multi-use pitches · play.Open on map
  4. 4Washington Park fields · ChicagoSouth Side · wide pitches · family day.Open on map
  5. 5Griffith Park soccer fields · Los AngelesCentral LA pitches · picnic · zoo nearby.Open on map
  6. 6Pan Pacific Park fields · Los AngelesMiracle Mile · multi-use lawns · play.Open on map
  7. 7Sepulveda Basin soccer complex · Los AngelesValley mega sports basin · many pitches.Open on map
  8. 8Memorial Park · athletic fields · HoustonWest Houston · pitches · trails · play.Open on map
  9. 9Herman Brown Park fields · HoustonEast Houston · soccer · trails.Open on map
  10. 10Ervan Chew Park lawns · HoustonMontrose · small-sided · splash + play.Open on map
  11. 11Desert West Sports Complex pitches · PhoenixWest Phoenix · soccer fields · shade.Open on map
  12. 12Reach 11 Sports Complex · PhoenixNorth Phoenix · tournament pitches · play.Open on map
  13. 13Encanto Sports Complex fields · PhoenixCentral · soccer · playground · lake.Open on map
  14. 14FDR Park soccer fields · PhiladelphiaSouth Philly · pitches · lakes · play.Open on map
  15. 15Fairmount Park · Belmont fields · PhiladelphiaWest Philly · open pitches · views.Open on map
  16. 16Pennypack Park fields · PhiladelphiaNortheast Philly · creek park pitches.Open on map
  17. 17McAllister Park fields · San AntonioNorth SA · open pitches · trails.Open on map
  18. 18Phil Hardberger Park lawns · San AntonioNorth SA · multi-use grass · play.Open on map
  19. 19Woodlawn Lake Park fields · San AntonioWest side · pitches · playground.Open on map
  20. 20Mission Bay Athletic Area fields · San DiegoBayfront pitches · playgrounds.Open on map
  21. 21Robb Field soccer · San DiegoOcean Beach complex · lighted fields.Open on map
  22. 22Balboa Park · Morley Field sports · San DiegoMega-park sports belt · family day.Open on map
  23. 23Gateway Park fields · Fort WorthTrinity River · multi-use pitches.Open on map
  24. 24Sycamore Park fields · Fort WorthEast FW · pitches · playground.Open on map
  25. 25Kiest Park soccer fields · DallasOak Cliff metro park · many pitches.Open on map

Bring a size 4/5 ball. Many pitches need permits for organized games; pickup is first-come when open. For NYC fields, open the NYC parks with football guide.

City-by-city notes for parents

Chicago: Lincoln, Grant, Douglass, and Washington spread north–south. LA: Griffith, Pan Pacific, and Sepulveda Basin for volume. Houston: Memorial, Herman Brown, Ervan Chew for west/east/Montrose. Phoenix: Desert West, Reach 11, Encanto — book early for weekend tournaments. Philly: FDR, Belmont, Pennypack. SA / SD / FW / Dallas: McAllister, Hardberger, Woodlawn, Mission Bay, Robb, Morley Field belt, Gateway, Sycamore, Kiest.

How to use this on ParkConnect

Open the map, search your city, filter Sport → Football, and tap a card. Check city permit calendars before promising a league game. Pair a pitch with a playground for mixed ages and log surface condition after rain.

How to find football pitches near you in United States

Start with the ParkConnect map: search United States, set Sport → Football, and pick a Within distance of 5, 10, or 25 km. Places other families have confirmed show football marked Yes, and every card in this guide jumps straight to its pin. Your city’s parks and recreation (or sports) department is the second source — most publish facility lists, opening hours, and booking rules online. Large parks and recreation centres are the quickest win because they usually pair football pitches with a playground, toilets, and transport links. If you find a spot that is not on the map yet, add it with Tag here and set Sport → Football to Yes so the next family can find it. Open lawns and many public cages or small-sided pitches are free to use. Full-size club pitches and floodlit artificial turf often need a booking, especially in the evening. When you are ready to parks and playgrounds beyond this United States list, join the ParkConnect year-round challenge linked below.

Tips for playing safely

Walk the pitch first to check for holes, glass, and dog mess on open grass. After rain, grass turns slippery and muddy — switch to artificial turf or a cage. Keep small children away from older kids’ full-power shots and agree a boundary so the ball does not run into paths or roads. In hot weather, play early or late and take water breaks; in winter, watch for frozen ground. After every visit, mark what you found on the ParkConnect pin — open or closed, surface condition, crowds — so the next family knows what to expect.

Community resources in United States

Local grassroots clubs run junior teams from very young ages, often with taster sessions, and city sports departments organise holiday camps and leagues. Many parks host informal weekend kickabouts. Check your national football association’s club finder for teams near you, and note on the ParkConnect pin which pitches have goals and nets. On ParkConnect, the guide comments below and the park pins are where parents share which spots are in good shape, when they are quiet, and which venues welcome drop-ins. Families who want a weekly outdoor habit also use the challenge page to parks and playgrounds one new playground at a time.

More ways to parks and playgrounds beyond United States

This United States shortlist is a starting point. When you want a simple family habit — one new playground a week — open ParkConnect’s challenge to parks and playgrounds across cities and your own neighbourhood. Pair a sports stop from this guide with a quiet plac zabaw, mark toilets and shade after you visit, and keep exploring with the live map.

Parent tips

  • Skipped: full NYC list — use nyc-parks-with-football.

  • Organized games often need a parks permit.

  • After rain, clay and worn grass turn to mud — have a backup.

  • Bring water; open pitches bake in summer.

  • Log the exact field name for the next family.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find a football pitch or soccer field near me?
Open ParkConnect, search your city, and filter Sport → Football. This guide lists 25 public pitches in major US cities; NYC has a separate football parks guide.
Are public football fields free?
Casual play on open park grass is usually free. Reserved league slots and lighted tournament fields often require a city permit or fee.
Do these parks have goals?
Not always. Bring a ball and portable markers if needed, and leave a note on the pin about goals and nets for the next family.

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