Question Number: 35918

High School 3/5/2026

RE: Varsity(State Tournament) High School

Richard Cue of Perris, California USA asks...

2:00 left in the game clock stops. Ref let game continue for AT LEAST 7 min resulting in other team scoring as soon as we start to play ref blows whistle all of a sudden to end regulation. we go to OT and lose. So players coaches and fans really can’t know anything? These refs for all we know could be just adding and adding more time just cuz?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Richard
Thanks for the question.
In FIFA games the game is over when the added time allocated by the referee has expired. The allocation is at the discretion of the referee who adds on time for substitutions, injuries etc.

NFHS games have an entirely different timing system. You do not indicate in your question as to whether there was a timer official present and what signals were given including any two minute signal?
I would like to understand if the regular NFHS timing procedures were in operation.

When time expires officials are not in the business of finding more time to continue the game. Seven minutes would be excessive to me yet there is always an explanation.





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Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Hi Richard,

I see that Perris high school plays under NFHS rules. Since this was a high school game, under NFHS rules time cannot be added. The only explanation might be that the clock was incorrect.

Did your team's coach question the seven minutes?

Is there a video of the game showing the amount of time left and the amount of time the game was continued after the clock stopped? Perhaps it was shown on the NFHS network since it was a high school tournament?

Thank you for this question.




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