How Much Does a Football Scoreboard Cost in 2026?
How much does a video scoreboard cost? Digit boards from CHF 1,980, LED walls from CHF 4,000, plus software, power and maintenance. Realistic totals for clubs.
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"How much does a scoreboard for a football pitch cost?" We hear this question almost every day. The honest answer is: it depends on which kind of scoreboard you mean. A classic digit scoreboard showing score and match clock is available in Switzerland from around CHF 2,000. A video scoreboard (an LED wall that also shows sponsors, animations and video) starts at around CHF 4,000 for a small format and reaches CHF 30,000 and more for a main pitch. And the purchase price is only part of the equation. Anyone who wants to make a well-founded decision should look at the full lifecycle cost, the so-called total cost of ownership (TCO). In this article we show which figures Swiss clubs can realistically expect in 2026. Prices are in Swiss francs (CHF); the structure of the costs applies to clubs anywhere.
A quick clarification: this article is about the scoreboard at the side of the pitch, not the referee's substitution board.
1. Classic digit scoreboard: score and match clock from CHF 1,980
The cheapest option is the electronic scoreboard with LED digits: two fields for the score, a match clock, and a wireless remote. Swiss sports retailers sell these boards from stock. Prices according to the shops (as of August 2026):
| Model | Retailer | Price (CHF) | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derby 19 RC (minutes / seconds) | Ruckstuhl Sport | 1,980 / 2,180 | Score up to 19, match clock, wireless remote |
| Anzeigetafel Fussball EW3055 / EW3050 | HUSPO | 2,150 / 3,700 | Score and match clock, wireless, two sizes |
| Football scoreboard | Activa Sport | approx. 2,417 | Score and match clock, wireless |
| Stramatel 452 series | Sport-Thieme, Schäper | 2,787 to 10,338 | From the basic display to a large outdoor board readable from 160 m |
For clubs in Germany the bands are similar: classic LED digit scoreboards cost EUR 1,500 to 6,000, plus a control desk (at Schauf, for example, EUR 412 for the wireless desk up to EUR 2,569 for the touch desk) and installation with commissioning (Schauf packages EUR 1,170 to 4,817). The guide on sportstaettenrechner.de quotes EUR 3,000 to 14,000 for football pitches including installation.
What a digit scoreboard can and cannot do: it shows the score and the time, nothing more. No sponsor logos, no goal animation, no live stream picture, no player names. In return it is robust, needs little power (some models run on solar) and is mounted in an afternoon. If your club only wants to show the result, it is the right choice. If you want to earn sponsorship income with the scoreboard, you need an LED wall.
2. LED wall (video scoreboard): cost by size
The LED wall is a fully fledged video surface. It shows score and match clock, but also sponsor banners, playlists, line-ups and animations. The price range depends on size, pixel pitch (more on that in our pixel pitch article), brightness and whether the screen is rated for outdoor or indoor use.
As a practical rule of thumb, Swiss clubs can expect CHF 2,000 to 2,500 per square metre (all inclusive). This covers LED modules, frame, controller, cabling and standard installation: everything needed for the scoreboard to be mounted and ready to run.
Price table by size
| Size | Area | Purchase cost (all-in, CHF) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × 1 m | 2 m² | 4,000 to 5,000 | Small club, secondary pitch, score plus sponsor logo |
| 3 × 2 m | 6 m² | 12,000 to 15,000 | Sports hall, smaller outdoor grounds, training pitch |
| 4 × 3 m | 12 m² | 24,000 to 30,000 | Main pitch with stand, sponsors and video |
| 5 × 3 m | 15 m² | 30,000 to 37,500 | Outdoor football pitch with a large stand, larger halls |
If you need something more precise, the rule of thumb m² × CHF 2,000 to 2,500 gives you a quick first estimate. Special requirements (a very fine pixel pitch, complex structural engineering or a mast construction) can push the price upwards. The viewing distance table in our pixel pitch article helps you judge which size your ground actually needs.
For comparison, for clubs in Germany the sportstaettenrechner.de guide quotes EUR 10,000 to 130,000 and more for digital video displays, depending on size and features. The upper end applies to stadiums; for amateur grounds, quotes sit in the same order of magnitude as the CHF figures above.
What "at cost" offers leave out
More and more often we see offers in which an LED panel is passed on to clubs "at cost". One example from South Tyrol: a media company offers amateur clubs a 1.9 × 1 m LED wall for EUR 3,300 plus VAT. That sounds cheap, but it is a panel-only price. The club has to organise the power connection, bracket and installation itself, and a controller with scoreboard logic, warranty and service are not part of the package. Add those items and a 2 m² wall quickly ends up in the CHF 4,000 to 5,000 band from the table above. Before comparing prices, check every quote for frame, bracket, electrical connection, controller, software, warranty and installation.
3. Software and control
Without software, every LED wall remains a dark screen. Costs vary widely depending on the provider and the range of functions: from free but very limited tools to solutions with five-figure licence fees. Our football scoreboard software guide compares the common models.
LemonScore deliberately sits in the affordable range for clubs: it includes a predictable licence, remote control, and the option to run advertising on the scoreboard as banners or playlists, generating additional income for the club. You will find the current licence prices on our pricing page.
For operating the scoreboard on match day, you have several options. Detailed recommendations can be found in our article Which hardware do I need for LemonScore?:
- Your own laptop or tablet: LemonScore runs on any common Windows or Apple device, from CHF 0 if you already have one
- LemonScore Controller (fixed installation, e.g. in the announcer's booth): CHF 2,600, a complete system with a 1,000-nit touchscreen
- LemonScore Controller Case (mobile setup): CHF 3,850, the same touchscreen plus an integrated Stream Deck in a rugged hard-shell case
4. Electricity costs
LED walls use less power than many people think, but it is still worth considering. A typical 15 m² scoreboard draws between 1,000 W and 2,500 W in operation (peak load at 100 % brightness is higher).
Sample calculation for a club with 25 home matches per season at 3 hours of operation each:
- Consumption: 1.5 kW × 75 h = 112 kWh per season
- Cost at CHF 0.30 / kWh: around CHF 34 per season
Even with a generous margin for setup and teardown, testing and friendly matches, pure electricity costs usually stay below CHF 150 per year. It is a different story if the scoreboard runs permanently as an advertising screen: in that case you should budget several hundred francs per year.
5. Maintenance and spare parts
Good news for the club treasury: hardly any costs arise here. LED modules are extremely durable (50,000+ operating hours), and LED walls are delivered with spare parts for the typical wear components. Over the years, usually only small amounts remain for cleaning and occasional inspection, generally well below CHF 200 per year.
TCO example: amateur football club with a 5 × 3 m scoreboard
Purchase of a 5 × 3 m outdoor LED wall (15 m²) including a LemonScore Controller for the fixed installation, calculated over a 15-year service life:
| Item | One-off (CHF) | Per year (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| LED wall 5 × 3 m (all inclusive) | 30,000 | - |
| LemonScore Controller | 2,600 | - |
| Software licence | - | see pricing |
| Electricity | - | 150 |
| Maintenance / reserve | - | 200 |
| Total (excluding software licence) | 32,600 | 350 |
Over 15 years this results in a TCO, excluding the software licence, of around CHF 37,900, or roughly CHF 2,500 per year. The software licence is added according to the plan you choose on our pricing page; we deliberately leave the amount out of this table so that the calculation does not go stale when plans change.
For the smaller 3 × 2 m scoreboard (e.g. for a hall or a training pitch), the one-off costs drop to around CHF 14,600 (LED wall 12,000 + controller 2,600), and the annual running costs are slightly lower. For a 2 × 1 m wall controlled from your own laptop, the one-off costs are around CHF 4,000 to 5,000.
How to refinance the investment
An LED scoreboard is more than a cost item: it is an advertising space. With digital sponsorship slots, clubs can substantially offset the investment over the years or even recoup it completely. Read more in our whitepaper on the future of club sponsorship and in our article on digital advertising spaces at the sidelines.
In addition, Switzerland has funding programmes, above all the Swisslos Sportfonds (the cantonal sports funds financed by the Swiss lottery), through which clubs can receive substantial contributions towards the purchase. We explain how this works in our article Affordable LED scoreboards thanks to the Swisslos Sportfonds.
Frequently asked questions about scoreboard costs
How much does a simple football scoreboard cost?
An electronic digit scoreboard with score and match clock costs from around CHF 1,980 in Switzerland (Derby 19 RC at Ruckstuhl Sport) up to CHF 3,700 (HUSPO EW3050). Larger outdoor models of the Stramatel 452 series go up to a good CHF 10,000. Installation and power connection come on top.
How much does a video scoreboard with advertising cost?
An LED wall that shows sponsors and video in addition to the score costs around CHF 2,000 to 2,500 per square metre all-in: roughly CHF 4,000 to 5,000 for 2 × 1 m, CHF 12,000 to 15,000 for 3 × 2 m and CHF 30,000 to 37,500 for 5 × 3 m. A software licence and a control device are added on top.
What are the running costs of an LED scoreboard?
Electricity for 25 home matches is around CHF 34, with a margin under CHF 150 per year. CHF 200 per year is usually enough for maintenance and reserves. The software licence is added according to the plan you choose.
Is an LED wall worth it compared with a digit scoreboard?
If you only want to show the result: no, the digit scoreboard is enough. If you want to show sponsors on the scoreboard and earn income with it, the LED wall often pays for itself completely over the years. Our whitepaper on club sponsorship shows how that works.
Conclusion: hardware is only half the story
The purchase price tells only part of the story. Anyone planning a scoreboard should first decide whether a digit board is enough or whether it should be an LED wall, and then include every item in the budget: hardware, installation, software, electricity and maintenance. At the same time, it pays to look at the refinancing options. With digital sponsorship and funding contributions, an investment often turns into a genuine source of income. Run the numbers for your own club with the sponsor calculator on the scoreboard for football clubs page.
Are you considering investing in an LED scoreboard? Contact us for a no-obligation consultation on software, hardware recommendations and suitable setups for your club.
