Question Number: 18730

Law 7 - Match Duration 4/8/2008

Kyle Kenney of Kingston, Canada asks...

I just need a quick refresher..

Say I play a 45 minute half completely, but the next half I couldn't manage to finish the game to do some conflict (ie, bad weather, poor lighting).

The law states you must play 2 equal halves . And also, I'm most likely certain I heard from a senior official that if you play a game already for 70 minutes, it's considered an official game.

Do I abandon the match and write on the report that the game could not be finished? Or do I shorten the game at the discretion of the coaches?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If a game cannot be completed to full time because of darkness or weather, the referee abandons the game. It is written as such in the official report: "Game abandoned after the 72nd minute due to darkness."

The league will then decide the outcome of the match. In some leagues, if you get to halftime the game is considered complete. In others, the game will have to be replayed in it's entirety.

Shortening the game with the concurrance of the coaches should be done before the game starts, not when you get to the end. If you had cut 10 minutes off each half, you'd play the 70 minutes and get done by dark. Something else for referees to know - what time is sunset?