How Long Is a Football Game? Match Duration, Half-Time, and Extra Time
A football match is 90 minutes split into two 45-minute halves with a 15-minute half-time break. Stoppage time, extra time, penalty shootouts, and youth football variants are all explained.
A standard football match is 90 minutes long — two 45-minute halves separated by a 15-minute half-time break. The referee adds stoppage time at the end of each half (typically 1-15 minutes total) to compensate for delays. Knockout-stage matches that are level after 90 minutes go to 30 minutes of extra time (two 15-minute halves), and if still level, to a penalty shootout. Youth football variants are shorter.
Standard match duration
- First half. 45 minutes.
- Half-time break. 15 minutes (per IFAB Law 7).
- Second half. 45 minutes.
- Stoppage time. 1-15 minutes added per half — referee's discretion based on delays (injuries, substitutions, time-wasting, VAR reviews).
- Total elapsed time. Typically 100-115 minutes from kick-off to final whistle.
IFAB Law 7 governs match duration. The 90-minute base is universal across professional adult football worldwide. Referee adds stoppage time; final whistle is at the referee's discretion.
Stoppage time (added time)
- Indicated by the 4th official. A board with the minutes added is shown at the end of each half.
- Why it's added. Player injuries, substitutions, goal celebrations, time-wasting, VAR reviews.
- Trend at major tournaments. Stoppage time has increased at recent World Cups (Qatar 2022 averaged ~12 minutes per match).
- Premier League standard. Typically 3-7 minutes per half; 8-15 minutes in matches with multiple injuries / VAR reviews.
Extra time + penalty shootout (knockouts)
- When applied. Knockout-stage matches level after 90 minutes (cup ties, World Cup knockouts, Champions League knockouts).
- Format. Two 15-minute halves. No half-time break (just a brief pause to switch ends).
- Total knockout duration. ~150-160 minutes (90 + 30 + half-time + stoppage time + penalties).
- Penalty shootout. If level after extra time. Each side takes 5 penalties (alternating); if still level, sudden death.
Youth football variants
- U7-U8 (5-a-side). 4 × 8 min quarters. ~32 minutes total.
- U9-U10 (7-a-side). 2 × 25 min halves. 50 minutes total.
- U11-U12 (9-a-side). 2 × 30 min halves. 60 minutes total.
- U13-U14 (11-a-side). 2 × 35 min halves. 70 minutes total.
- U15-U16 (11-a-side). 2 × 40 min halves. 80 minutes total.
- U17+ (11-a-side). 2 × 45 min halves (full senior). 90 minutes total.
Other format durations
- 5-a-side adult. Often 2 × 20 min or 2 × 25 min.
- Walking football. 2 × 25-30 min, depending on league.
- Futsal. 2 × 20 min of stopped clock time. Distinct format.
- Beach football. 3 × 12 min periods.
- Friendlies / non-competitive. May vary; standard is still 2 × 45 min for adult fixtures.
Frequently asked questions
- How long is a football match?
- A standard adult football match is 90 minutes — two 45-minute halves separated by a 15-minute half-time break. Plus stoppage time (1-15 minutes per half) added by the referee for delays. Total elapsed time from kick-off to final whistle is typically 100-115 minutes.
- How long is half-time in football?
- Half-time is 15 minutes per IFAB Law 7. The same rule applies across professional adult football worldwide. Some youth competitions use a shorter half-time (5-10 minutes); youth U7-U8 5-a-side often uses quarter breaks instead.
- What is stoppage time?
- Stoppage time (also called added time or injury time) is additional minutes added at the end of each half by the referee to compensate for delays during the half — player injuries, substitutions, goal celebrations, time-wasting, VAR reviews. Premier League stoppage time is typically 3-7 minutes per half; major-tournament stoppage time has increased significantly recently.
- What happens if a knockout match is tied after 90 minutes?
- In knockout-stage matches (cup ties, World Cup knockouts, Champions League knockouts), if the score is level after 90 minutes + stoppage time, the match goes to **30 minutes of extra time** (two 15-minute halves). If still level after extra time, the match is decided by **penalty shootout** — each side takes 5 penalties alternately, then sudden death if still level.
References
- IFAB — Law 7: The Duration of the Match — IFAB / The FA
- BBC Newsround — Football Match Length — BBC Newsround
- The FA — Youth Football Match Times — The FA
- AnalyiSport — Match Length Analysis — AnalyiSport
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#match-duration#football-rules#fundamentals#extra-time#half-time
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