As people get into soccer for the first time, one of the first questions they ask is how long is a soccer game?
Well, the answer is relatively simple, although there are such things as stoppage and extra time that you need to account for. So, without further ado, let’s reveal how long a standard soccer match lasts for.
So, how long is a soccer game?
A standard soccer game is ninety minutes long, split into two halves of 45 minutes each. In some competitions, an additional period of “extra time” is played when the game is a tie after ninety minutes, which lasts thirty minutes, fifteen minutes each half.
In soccer, the referee is also permitted to increase the length of each half by adding stoppage time, which accounts for periods during the game in which the ball has not been in play. Most of the time, the referee only adds a few minutes of stoppage time to each half.
Let’s take a closer look at the length of soccer games and why the game is structured in the way that it is.
Why does a soccer game last for ninety minutes?
The decision to standardize the length of soccer matches was taken way back in 1866 during a clash between London and Sheffield. The teams agreed to play for ninety minutes, split into two equal halves of 45 minutes apiece.
They settled on this to set a dispute about how long they should play for, which had been a problem for other teams throughout the 1860s, who would play soccer matches for indeterminate lengths of time.
Thanks to this resolution, other teams copied the idea, and the ninety-minute soccer match was born. It is now part of the laws of the game that every soccer match should be ninety minutes as standard, apart from in certain circumstances – as we explore below.
Are all soccer matches ninety minutes long?
The simple answer to this question is that most competitive male and female soccer matches last for a period of ninety minutes. However, the time of games is reduced in youth soccer to safeguard the well-being of younger players.
Youth soccer matches are actually structured quite differently from adult games. For instance, from ages 6-12, children play for anywhere between 10-35 minutes per half. Some leagues even split the halves into quarters to allow for more coaching time in between plays.
While youth soccer varies greatly from league to league, it’s really important that all teams competing in a specific competition agree to play the stipulated number of minutes. This ensures that all games are equal and there’s no unfair advantage for some teams.
Adults that play in small-sided leagues often play shorter games than ninety minutes, too. For instance, five-a-side leagues often run for twenty minutes per half, while some are even split into quarters.
How long is half-time in soccer?
In standard adult soccer matches, half-time lasts for fifteen minutes. During this time, the coaches can pass instructions to the players, make changes, and offer the players rehydration to go out for the second half.
In youth soccer and even in some amateur matches, the length of half-time is shortened, but players and officials are entitled to fifteen minutes if they require it.
Half-time also gives spectators a chance to head to the bathroom and grab some refreshments, the latter of which being a ritual for anyone that regularly goes to watch their soccer team play!
What about additional time?
As mentioned, there are some occasions when a period of extra time is required to decide the winner of a soccer match. In many knockout competitions, when the result is tied, an extra period of thirty minutes is played to allow time to find a winner.
If the scores are still level after the additional period, the teams will contest a penalty shoot-out until the winner is decided. That team will then progress into the next round of the knockout competition.
In league matches where ties are permitted, the referee still typically adds time to each half, which is known as stoppage time. This is usually only a few minutes, but it accounts for things like injuries, substitutions, and other stoppages during the game.
So, while a standard soccer game is ninety minutes long with a fifteen-minute half-time break, you can reasonably expect anywhere between 5-10 additional minutes per game due to stoppages. This takes the total amount of time for a soccer match plus breaks to approximately 115 minutes.
Interested to learn more about how additional time works in soccer? Check out our recent article about stoppage time and how it’s added to every game.
Are soccer games ever longer than ninety minutes?
When a soccer match is competed over two legs, it is technically 180 minutes long. After all, the results of both matches are added to get a final result. But still, the games are still played out as two matches of ninety minutes each, as opposed to a continuous 180-minute game!
This format is popular in intercontinental matches, where home advantage makes a huge difference to the result. For instance, competitions like the UEFA and CONCACAF Champions League are two-legged affairs.
The only other time that soccer matches are longer than ninety minutes is perhaps when a charity soccer match is being played. Sometimes, soccer players get together to raise money for a good cause by playing a soccer marathon.
Other than this, you’re unlikely to find soccer matches that last longer than ninety minutes, as playing soccer for this period is pretty tiring for most people!
Recap: How long is a soccer game?
A standard adult soccer game is ninety minutes long, split into two even halves of 45 minutes. The referee is permitted to add stoppage time to each half to account for injuries, substitutions, and other incidents.
Extra time of thirty minutes is only added when a match in a knockout competition is tied and is one way of encouraging teams to play for the win.
The only times that soccer matches are less than ninety-minutes long are in youth leagues and small-sided games; other than that, you can expect the game to play for an hour and a half.