NFL Football Dimensions: Length, Circumference & Weight

The 2026 NFL rulebook specifies a prolate-spheroid game ball with a long axis of 11–11¼ inches, a long circumference of 28–28½ inches, a short circumference of 21–21¼ inches, and a weight of 14–15 ounces. These are NFL ball specifications, not a universal size for every youth, school or recreational football. See the 2026 NFL rulebook, Rule 2.

An NFL football is not a rectangular object with one fixed width. The rulebook gives a long-axis length and circumferences measured around its long and short directions. In everyday language, “width” usually means the shorter crosswise measurement; the official spec is a 21–21¼-inch short circumference, not a width. The tapered oval shape is why length and circumference are more useful than a single width measurement.

A football fits in one hand, while an NFL field is 360 feet long including its end zones. For field measurements, see our American football field dimensions guide. NFL game balls are regulated by the league; check a youth, college or high-school organization’s rules if you need the ball size for a specific age group or competition.