How Long is a Football Match?

Be it a roller-coaster ride or a bit of snoozer, it’s generally accepted that a game of football will last for 90 minutes. And, it’s been this way since 1866.

Association football was formalised in 1863 when the Football Association (FA) was born. And yet the decision to play for 90 minutes was not standardised until 1866 during a match between London and Sheffield. 

The reason for settling on a 90 minute match? 

The belief that both sides would be suitably tired at the end of that time period. 

The Laws of the Game, the rule book that governs the sport, came into fruition in 1870 but it wasn’t until the 1897 rule changes, that the 90 minute duration of the game was enshrined in footballing law. 

Because a game of football has been played in two 45 minute halves for more than 150 years it might appear entirely logical to assume that the question, ‘how long is a game of football?’ has been answered already. 

Yet, as it is often so, this is a multi-layered question that needs to be unravelled before it can be answered fully. 

Standard Playing Time

For more than a century, a game of football has been divided into two 45 minute halves, totalling 90 minutes of play time per game. This is true in both the women’s and men’s game from the age of 17 onwards. This time is known as regulation play. 

There is rarely a game played that lasts only 90 minutes. The longest game on British record was the 2019 Caribou Cup game between Burton Albion and Bournemouth. Due to issues with the stadium lights, an extra 28 minutes of time was added to regulation play. 

Half-time Interval

Each game of football consists of two 45 minute halves. These halves are separated by a 15 minute, half-time interval.

This time is used by the players to recover from the physical exertion of the first-half, hydrate and re-fuel. It’s also a time that can be used by medics to treat any injuries sustained during the first-half. 

It’s at this point that the team coach will communicate any tactical and formation changes. Players are given the chance to share what’s gone well and what needs to be improved, often the captain of the team will speak at this point. 

In the early days of the game, half-time meant something more than the opportunity to replenish lost fluids and receive a rallying pep talk from the captain. Because association football was played mainly by public school boys and each school played by its own set of rules, half-time brought about the opportunity not just to change ends, but to change the set of rules that were being played by. This meant that both teams played by their particular rules for an equal amount of time. 

Today, half-time is a lucrative opportunity for businesses. It’s used by corporations to advertise their products to viewers watching from home. For those fans attending the game, it provides time to take refreshments.  

Stoppage Time

Added time is often referred to as stoppage time or injury time. Match officials will implement stoppage time to make up for lost time during a football match. Lost time may occur because of substitutions, disciplinary penalties, issues that may arise between players and injuries. More recently, such delays can be the result of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) checks. 

Time wasting tactics, such as excessive goal celebrations are also a reason for adding on stoppage time. Time may also be added when players obstruct the taking of a free kick, delay the taking of their own free-kick or throw-in and potential feign injury. 

When these delays occur the referee, or one of their assistants makes note of the time lost and will add it on to the end of the playing half it took place in. 

Stoppage time is displayed on an electronic board so that the spectators and the players are aware of changes to the match duration. There is no maximum limit to stoppage time. 

Substitutions

Substitutions are made when a player is injured, underperforming, unwell or tired. Five substitutions can be made by each team, at three separate windows in the game. In national A team matches, up to six substitutions can be made. 

Time lost due to substitutions is added on at the end of the relevant half of the game. 

Extra Time

Extra time is played when the football match needs to be decided on the day and a tie needs to be broken. Introduced as part of the 1897 rule changes to the Laws of the Game, extra time became the accepted norm when playing games such as knock-out matches. 

Extra time is played at the end of the second half of the game. 

At the end of regulation time, there is a break that lasts around five minutes. During this time the players generally remain on the field of play. 

There are two fifteen minute halves and teams switch ends after the first half. Only one additional substitution can be made by each team during extra time.  

Penalty Shootouts

Up until 1970, when a game of football was still tied at the end of extra time, the fate of each team was determined by a coin toss. 

As extra time closed on the 1968 European Championship semi-final between Italy and the Soviet Union no winner prevailed. The fairest way to select the future finalist was to toss a coin, which the Italians won. 

Today though, the penalty shoot out system is used when 120 minutes of play has not produced a winning result. 

Its premise is simple. Each team chooses five players and each player is responsible for taking one shot at the goal. Only players who were on the field of play at the end of extra time can be selected, even the goalkeeper is an option. The format follows an ABAB pattern. 

If the teams are still level at the end of the five apiece penalty shoot out, the competition goes to sudden death. A further selection of players offer to take a penalty, but not those that have already taken a shot. The team that takes the lead first is the final winner. 

There is no time limit on penalty shoot outs.  

VAR (Video Assistant Referee)

New goal line technologies such as VAR have been introduced as a support mechanism for referees. When a referee is unsure of what option to take, VAR technology steers them to the most accurate response. These technologies have been introduced to speed up the game and assist controversial decision making.  

According to ESPN only 88 seconds are lost per game due to VAR technology. Whilst VAR is often accused of reducing spontaneity within the game, it does not impact greatly on the duration of the game.

A study by (IFAB) International Football Association Board showed that over the course of 1,000 games, only 1 in 3 games relied on the use of VAR technology at some point during the game. 

Hydration Breaks

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), allows hydration breaks once a game has been in play for more than 30 minutes. 

Hydration breaks last around 90 seconds and are employed during extremely hot weather. Time is added onto the end of whichever half of regulation time the hydration break was taken in. 

Whilst the governing handbook, The Laws of the Game stipulate a game of football will last for a 90 minute duration, it’s evident that the reality is generally more complex. Nuances of stoppage time, substitutions and extra time enriches the dynamic of this beautiful game we call football. 

Throughout the course of each game the rich tradition of the game overlaps and blends with modernity. This subtle interplay between the old and the new driving the game of billions forward – in ever new and enthralling ways.