How Long Is A Soccer Game? Full Time, Halftime, Extra Time

If you’re wondering: how long is a soccer game – this is for you.

Soccer, also known as the beautiful game, is a thrilling sport that captures the hearts of fans worldwide. One common question many people have is, “How long is a soccer game?”

Although there are 90 minutes of play; it’s not as simple as that. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how long soccer games last, injury time, extra time, and differences between professional, college, and youth level soccer games.

how long is a soccer game

How Long Is A Soccer Game

In this article, you can read through all 7 sections or skip ahead to the topics that are most important to you. Make sure to watch the video tutorials included and stick around until the end for a special free gift that is guaranteed to make you a better soccer player.

1. How Long Is A Soccer Game on Average?
2. How Does Injury Time Work In Soccer?
3. How Does Extra Time Work In Soccer?
4. How Long Is A Soccer Game Halftime?
5. How Long Is A Soccer Game In World Cup?
6. How Long Are Soccer Games (College, High School, Youth)
7. How to become a better soccer player, improve faster & achieve more!

I hope this article helps you understand how long is a soccer game. Let’s go!

How Long Is A Soccer Game on Average?

A standard soccer game consists of two halves, each lasting 45 minutes, for a total of 90 minutes of regular playing time. However, it’s important to note that the actual time a soccer game takes can be longer due to stoppages in play.

Referees may add additional time, known as “injury time” or “added time,” to compensate for stoppages due to injuries, substitutions, or other delays.

In professional soccer matches, the referee typically keeps track of the stoppages and adds an appropriate amount of extra time at the end of each half. This added time is usually a few minutes and is meant to make up for time lost during the game.

So how long is a soccer game on average? Although, the scheduled time for a soccer match is 90 minutes, the total time, including stoppages and added time, can vary. In some cases, particularly if there have been many stoppages, a soccer game may extend beyond 90 minutes.

How Does Injury Time Work In Soccer?

In soccer, injury time, also known as stoppage time or added time, is additional time added to the end of each half to compensate for delays that occur during the normal course of play.

The referee determines the amount of injury time based on various stoppages that occur, such as injuries, substitutions, time-wasting, and other interruptions.

Here’s how injury time works in soccer:

1. Stoppages during the half: The referee keeps track of stoppages during the regular 45-minute halves. This includes time spent attending to injured players, substitutions, and any other delays.
   
2. Board display: In professional matches, the fourth official on the sideline holds up an electronic or manual board to indicate the amount of injury time that will be added. This information is also communicated to the teams and spectators.
   
3. Minimum additional time: The referee is required to add a minimum amount of injury time, usually indicated by the fourth official. This is often a conservative estimate to ensure that the match includes an appropriate amount of compensation for stoppages.
   
4. Actual time played: The clock doesn’t stop during regular play, and the 45 minutes for each half are continuous. Injury time is added at the end of each half, so the game may extend beyond the scheduled 45 minutes.
   
5. End of the match: The match officially concludes when the referee signals the end of the added time. The team with the most goals at this point is declared the winner. If the score is level, the match may end in a draw, or in knockout competitions, it may go to extra time or a penalty shootout.

Injury time is a way to ensure that the total time played in a match reflects the actual time the ball is in play, accounting for stoppages and delays. The amount of injury time can vary from match to match based on the events that occur during the game.

How Does Extra Time Work In Soccer?

Extra time in soccer is an additional period of play that is added to certain knockout-stage matches when the score is tied at the end of the regular 90 minutes. Extra time is used to determine a winner in situations where a match must have a clear result, such as in knockout rounds of tournaments.

Here’s how extra time works in soccer:

1. Regular match duration: A standard soccer match consists of two halves, each lasting 45 minutes, for a total of 90 minutes of regular playing time.
   
2. Tied score at the end of regular time: If the score is tied at the end of the regular 90 minutes, and the competition format requires a winner, extra time is played.
   
3. Extra time periods: Extra time consists of two additional periods, each lasting 15 minutes. These periods are played consecutively, without a break in between.
   
4. Teams switch ends: At the end of the first 15-minute period of extra time, the teams switch ends of the field.
   
5. No golden goal rule: In most modern football competitions, the golden goal rule, where the first team to score in extra time wins instantly, is no longer in effect. Instead, the full 30 minutes are played, regardless of goals scored.
   
6. If tied after extra time: If the score is still tied at the end of the 30 minutes of extra time, the match may be decided by a penalty shootout. Penalty shootouts involve each team taking a series of penalty kicks to determine the winner.

How long is a soccer game during knockout stages in tournaments? Some soccer games can last 120 minutes, plus any additional time (injury time) accumulated during the extra time periods.

How Long Is A Soccer Game Halftime?

The halftime break in a soccer game typically lasts for 15 minutes.

This break provides players with an opportunity to rest, rehydrate, and receive instructions from their coaches. During halftime, teams often make substitutions or tactical adjustments based on their performance in the first half.

It’s worth noting that the duration of halftime can vary in different competitions or leagues, especially at the youth or amateur levels. In some cases, the halftime break might be slightly shorter or longer, but the standard duration is 15 minutes in professional soccer matches.

How Long Is A Soccer Game In World Cup?

In the FIFA World Cup, like in most top-level international soccer competitions, a standard soccer game lasts 90 minutes, divided into two halves of 45 minutes each. If the score is tied at the end of the regulation time, the match may proceed to extra time.

During the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup, if a match ends in a draw after 90 minutes, two additional periods of 15 minutes each, known as extra time, are played.

These extra time periods are played in their entirety, regardless of whether goals are scored. If the score remains tied after extra time, the match is typically decided by a penalty shootout.

The group stage matches in the World Cup follow the same format, with a 90-minute duration and the possibility of a draw. However, in the group stage, each team earns points for a draw, and tiebreakers (such as goal difference) are used to determine the standings.

How Long Are Soccer Games

The duration of soccer games can vary at different levels of play. Here’s a general overview:

1. How Long Is A Soccer Game in College:
   • In NCAA college soccer, a standard game consists of two halves of 45 minutes each, totaling 90 minutes of regular playing time.
   • Like in professional soccer, if a match is tied at the end of regulation, some college soccer competitions may proceed to two periods of extra time, each lasting 10 minutes.
   • If the match is still tied after extra time, it may be decided by a penalty shootout.
     
2. How Long Is Soccer Game in High School:
   • High school soccer games typically follow a similar format to college soccer.
   • The standard duration is two halves of 40 minutes each, for a total of 80 minutes of regular playing time.
   • Some high school competitions may have variations in game duration, so local rules should be checked for specific details.
     
3. How Long Is A Soccer Game in Youth Soccer:
   • Youth soccer game durations can vary depending on the age group.
   • For example, in many youth leagues, U-6 and U-8 games might have shorter halves, often around 20-25 minutes each.
   • As players get older, game durations increase. For U-10 and U-12, games might have two halves of 25-30 minutes each.
   • In older age groups, such as U-14 and above, game durations might approach the standard 45-minute halves.

How Long Is A Soccer Game Usually

In soccer, time is more than just the clock ticking away — it’s a part of the game’s story. Injury time adds unexpected moments, and extra time in big matches keeps us on the edge of our seats.

Looking at how long soccer games last in college, high school, and youth soccer shows how the sport fits different age groups.

And in the grand World Cup, 90 minutes can turn into extra time and even penalty shootouts.

Understanding how long a soccer game is helps us see it as more than just a game — it’s a global excitement that brings people together, no matter where they’re from.

Hopefully you found this article about how long is a soccer game helpful.

(if so, keep reading)

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About The Author

If you don’t know about me…

I used to be a soccer player who struggled with self-confidence. I felt slow, weak, and unmotivated. My coaches didn’t pay much attention to me, my friends laughed at my lack of skills. At one point, I even became so discouraged that I quit the sport altogether.

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Want more soccer training content?

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Wishing You Success In Soccer

Coach Dylan
Progressive Soccer

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How Long Is A Soccer Game? Full Time, Halftime, Extra Time