Question Number: 25824

Law 7 - Match Duration 12/9/2011

RE: PRO Professional

zak of utah, utah usA asks...

WHAT IS THE OVER TIME LAWS OR RULES?
FOR EXAMPLE IF THE OVER TIME IS 2 MIN OR 4 MIN OR 5 MIN. WHAT IS THE RULE FOR THAT? WHEN SHOULD THE REFEREE STOP HIS WATCH WHEN SHOULDN'T? WHAT ABOUT INJURE DURING THAT 4 OR 2 MIN ?

PLEASE INCLUDE THE "RULE PAGES"

THANK YOU.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Zak
If you wish you can download a copy of the Laws of the Game from FIFA at this link
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame/index.html
As regards time lost in a game this is what the Laws of the Game says and I quote from Law 7 page 28
'' Allowance for time lost
Allowance is made in either period for all time lost through:
# substitutions
# assessment of injury to players
# removal of injured players from the field of play for treatment
# wasting time
# any other cause
The allowance for time lost is at the discretion of the referee.''
In practise the referee may simply stop his digital watch for each of the items listed above and then end the game when 45 minutes has elapsed. Some will stop the watch for injuries only and add on an estimate for substitutions and/or time wasting. In that situation when the watch reaches 45 minutes the referee will add on time that he estimates that has been lost for everything other than injuries which he allowed for.
If there is an injury in added time the referee should add on the time taken to deal with that situation. At the higher levels I note a tendency to only play the amount of added time shown by the 4th official even when there is a minor injury during that period or another substitution.