Question Number: 14878

League Specific 2/22/2007

RE: Under 15

kaitlin of Moranbah, QLD australia asks...

how long does a normal soccer game go for?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Soccer is played with a continuously running clock. In a FIFA-regulation game, each half is 45 minutes long, for a total of 90 minutes. There is also a halftime interval which is typically 10 to 20 minutes.

Law 7 says, "Allowance is made in either period for all time lost through:
? substitution(s)
? 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."

These allowances, often called stoppage time or injury time, usually add between 1 and 3 minutes to each half. In games with very long delays, say for an injury so serious that the medical team takes a while to safely remove the player, much more time may be added. The referee will also add time if a team that is leading the match deliberately wastes time at stoppages.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

International matches play 2 x 45 minute halves. The referee adds time. Half-time is not to exceed 15 minutes. Usually a match takes aboout 2 hrs with the half time interval and added time. Also, this depends on what happends in the match. If there are more reasons to add time, then the match will take longer.