Soccer Calorie Calculator
Playing casual soccer burns ~490 calories per hour for a 70 kg person; competitive matches burn ~700 cal/hr. Calculate your exact soccer calorie burn by weight, intensity, and duration.
By Jonas Lindemann · Updated · How we build our calculators
45 min
90 min
120 min
Competitive matches burn more calories due to sprinting, changes of direction, and high-intensity periods
1055kcal
Calories Burned
703kcal/h
Per Hour
10MET
Intensity
Very High
Intensity Level
Activity: Competitive match
MET 10 - High intensity with sprinting and continuous movement
This is approximately 52.7% of a 2000 kcal daily diet.
Soccer Benefits: Cardiovascular fitness, leg strength, agility, coordination, teamwork
Full-body workout combining aerobic endurance with explosive movements
Intensity Factors: Position played, playing time, game pace, field conditions
Midfielders typically cover 10-13 km per match vs 5-7 km for goalkeepers
Limitations: Actual calorie burn varies based on playing intensity, position, substitutions, and individual fitness level.
Accuracy: Moderate ±20-35%
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About the Soccer Calorie Calculator
Learn more about the calculator and its creator
Jonas
I'm a software developer and endurance athlete (cycling, running, triathlon). I built this calculator to help athletes track their calorie burn during games and training sessions using published MET values.
Playing casual soccer burns approximately 490 calories per hour for a 70 kg (154 lb) person. Competitive match play increases this to around 700 calories per hour for the same weight. A 55 kg teenager burns roughly 385 calories per hour at casual intensity and around 550 calories in a competitive game.
Calories Burned Playing Soccer Per Hour
Based on Compendium of Physical Activities MET values
| Intensity | 50 kg | 55 kg | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg | 90 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casual / Recreational (MET 7.0) | 350 | 385 | 420 | 490 | 560 | 630 |
| Training Session (MET 8.0) | 400 | 440 | 480 | 560 | 640 | 720 |
| Competitive Match (MET 10.0) | 500 | 550 | 600 | 700 | 800 | 900 |
| Goalkeeper (MET 5.0) | 250 | 275 | 300 | 350 | 400 | 450 |
Soccer Calorie Calculator
A typical soccer match burns between 400-900 calories per hour, depending on playing intensity, position, and body weight. Our calculator provides personalized estimates based on your specific activity.
Soccer is one of the most popular sports worldwide and provides excellent cardiovascular exercise with constant movement, sprinting, and direction changes.
How the Calculator Works
The calculator uses MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values based on soccer activity type:
Calories Burned = MET × Weight (kg) × Time (hours)
MET Values by Activity
| Activity Type | MET Value |
|---|---|
| Competitive Match | 10.0 |
| Training Session | 8.0 |
| Casual/Recreational | 7.0 |
| Goalkeeper | 5.0 |
Example Calculation
For a 70 kg person playing competitive soccer for 90 minutes:
1. Duration: 90 min = 1.5 hours
2. MET Value: 10.0 (competitive match)
3. Calculation: 10.0 × 70 × 1.5 = 1,050 calories
Note: Midfielders typically cover 10-13 km per match, burning significantly more calories than goalkeepers who cover 5-7 km.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Playing soccer burns approximately 490 calories per hour at casual intensity and up to 700 calories per hour in a competitive match for a 70 kg (154 lb) person. Body weight is the biggest factor — a 55 kg teenager burns around 385–550 calories per hour depending on intensity, while an 80 kg adult burns 560–800 calories per hour.
Casual or recreational soccer burns approximately 350 calories per hour for a 50 kg person, 490 calories per hour for a 70 kg person, and 630 calories per hour for a 90 kg person. This is based on a MET value of 7.0 for casual soccer play from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
A 13-year-old weighing approximately 55 kg burns around 385 calories per hour playing casual soccer and about 550 calories per hour in a competitive match. At a lighter weight of 50 kg, the figures are roughly 350 calories per hour (casual) and 500 calories per hour (competitive). Use the calculator above with your child's exact weight for a precise estimate.
A 70 kg (154 lb) person burns approximately 490 calories per hour playing casual soccer, 560 calories per hour in a training session, and 700 calories per hour in a competitive match. A goalkeeper at 70 kg burns around 350 calories per hour due to less running. These figures use the Compendium of Physical Activities MET values.
A 90-minute competitive soccer match burns approximately 1,050 calories for a 70 kg player, 825 calories for a 55 kg player, and 1,200 calories for an 80 kg player. Goalkeepers burn significantly less — around 525 calories in 90 minutes at 70 kg — due to covering far less ground than outfield players.
The MET values for soccer from the Compendium of Physical Activities are: casual/recreational play = 7.0, training session = 8.0, and competitive match = 10.0. Goalkeepers are listed at approximately 5.0 MET due to their lower activity level. These values are used to calculate calories burned: MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours).
Recreational soccer burns approximately 420 calories per hour for a 60 kg person, 490 calories per hour for a 70 kg person, and 560 calories per hour for an 80 kg person, using a MET value of 7.0 for recreational play. This is higher than casual backyard play but lower than organized competitive matches.
Yes — goalkeepers burn significantly fewer calories than midfielders. A 70 kg goalkeeper burns around 350 calories per hour (MET 5.0), while a midfielder covering 10–13 km burns approximately 700 calories per hour (MET 10.0) during a competitive match. This difference reflects the vastly different activity levels and running distances between positions.
How many calories do you burn playing soccer?
How many calories does casual soccer burn per hour?
How many calories does a 13-year-old burn playing soccer?
How many calories does a 70 kg person burn playing soccer per hour?
How many calories does a 90-minute soccer match burn?
What is the MET value for soccer?
How many calories does recreational soccer burn per hour?
Does a goalkeeper burn fewer calories than a midfielder?
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