Question Number: 17629

Law 7 - Match Duration 11/3/2007

RE: Rec Under 17

Howard Lane of Bethesda, MD USA asks...

Under FIFA rules while working youth matches, what method do you recommend to the referee to determine the amount of time to add at the end of a period?
Do you wear two watches? Do you use one watch and estimate the time to add, or do you use the method I usually use in rec games, stop the clock for long delays?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I've never done a youth match under "FIFA" rules in that every match I've ever done had free substitutions. Normally, I don't add time for subs unless there's been an obvious attempt to delay the game. I add for injuries and things like the ball going in a creek. I wear two watches just in case one doesn't work

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I wear a single watch, and keep it running. There's too many times where I've forgotten to start the watch at the kickoff, that I don't want to trust myself to do the stop/start routine. I will simply keep a running tally in my head, in 1/2 minute increments, of how much extra time to play. And if it doesn't matter to the game, for example there's a 4 goal difference, I won't have to add in all that time.

For backup, I use my AR's.