How Long Is a Soccer Match Including Half-Time and Extra Time?

A standard professional soccer match lasts 90 minutes, divided into two 45-minute halves, with a half-time break of up to 15 minutes. In practice, watching an entire match usually takes around two hours because referees add time for injuries, substitutions, goal celebrations, VAR reviews and other interruptions.

Knockout matches can last considerably longer. When a competition requires a winner and the score remains level after normal time, the teams may play another 30 minutes of extra time. If neither side wins during that period, a penalty shootout can follow.

The distinction between normal time, stoppage time and extra time matters. A league match that reaches the 98th minute is not necessarily playing extra time. It may simply have eight minutes added to the second half. Likewise, a team can win a knockout tie on penalties even though the match itself officially ended in a draw.

Here’s how the different periods work, when the referee can extend them and how long a match actually takes from kick-off to the final whistle.

 

How Long Is a Standard Soccer Match?

Under Law 7 of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), a standard adult soccer match consists of two equal halves of 45 minutes.

The first half runs from 0:00 to 45:00, and the second from 45:00 to 90:00. Stoppage time is added separately to each half. The clock continues from 45:00 when the second half begins, even though the first half may have ended at 45+4 or later.

The 90-minute format is used in major professional competitions, including the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup.

 

Suppose a match has four minutes of first-half stoppage time and six minutes of second-half stoppage time. The referee allows approximately 100 minutes of playing time in total. Including a 15-minute half-time interval, the elapsed time from kick-off to the final whistle is around 115 minutes.

One detail often causes confusion: the match clock does not stop every time the ball goes out of play. During throw-ins, goal kicks, free kicks and substitutions, the displayed clock generally continues running. The referee accounts for relevant lost time through the additional allowance.

As a result, 90 minutes on the match clock does not mean the ball has been actively moving for 90 minutes. Actual ball-in-play time is lower and varies considerably between matches.

 

How Long Is Half-Time in Soccer?

Half-time normally lasts 15 minutes in professional soccer. IFAB Law 7 states that players are entitled to an interval of no more than 15 minutes, with the competition rules specifying its duration.

During the break, players return to the dressing room, receive tactical instructions, recover physically and prepare for the second half. Coaches can use the interval to make substitutions or change their team’s approach.

The break begins when the referee ends the first half, not automatically when the scheduled 45 minutes have elapsed.

For example, a match starting at 3:00 PM might follow this schedule:

 

The match takes approximately 113 minutes from start to finish. A viewer expecting the second half to begin exactly 60 minutes after kick-off would be slightly early in this example because the first-half stoppage time also affects the schedule.

Half-time can be shorter in youth or amateur competitions. An alteration to the prescribed interval requires the referee’s permission.

 

Why Do Referees Add Stoppage Time?

Stoppage time compensates for playing time lost through qualifying interruptions. Without it, teams could gain an unfair advantage by deliberately delaying restarts or taking excessive time over substitutions.

Under IFAB Law 7, referees account for interruptions including:

• Substitutions: Delays while players leave and enter the field.
• Injuries: Medical assessments, treatment and removal of injured players.
• Goal celebrations: Time lost between a goal and the following restart.
• VAR decisions: Delays caused by video checks and on-field reviews.
• Disciplinary sanctions: Time required to deal with cautions and dismissals.
• Time-wasting: Deliberate attempts to delay play.
• Medical breaks: Permitted drinks and cooling breaks.
• Other significant delays: Interruptions that prevent the normal continuation of play.

The referee determines the allowance for each half. Near the end of the scheduled period, the fourth official displays the minimum additional time.

If the board shows five minutes, the referee must allow at least five additional minutes. The match can continue beyond 95:00 if further delays occur.

Imagine a referee announces six minutes of stoppage time. A player then suffers an injury at 90+4, causing a two-minute interruption. The referee can extend play beyond 90+6 to compensate for the additional delay.

There is no fixed maximum amount of stoppage time. An extended VAR review, serious injury or several prolonged interruptions can cause a half to run much longer than usual.

A less familiar rule concerns penalty kicks. If a penalty must be taken or retaken at the end of a half, the referee extends that half until the penalty kick is completed. The match does not have to end simply because the displayed additional time has expired.

For a more detailed explanation of how those allowances are determined, read our guide to how stoppage time is calculated in soccer.

 

Stoppage Time vs Extra Time: What Is the Difference?

Stoppage time and extra time are not interchangeable. Stoppage time compensates for interruptions within a half. Extra time provides additional playing periods when a knockout competition needs to determine a winner.

 

Consider a match that finishes 2-2 after 90 minutes plus eight minutes of stoppage time. The score after normal time is 2-2.

If the competition requires extra time, the teams then play two further periods. A goal scored in the 112th minute belongs to extra time, while a goal scored at 90+7 belongs to second-half stoppage time.

This distinction is especially important in knockout competitions, where normal-time results and qualification outcomes can differ.

 

How Long Is Extra Time in Soccer?

Extra time normally consists of two 15-minute periods, adding 30 minutes of scheduled playing time. A match that completes both periods therefore reaches the 120-minute mark, excluding any stoppage time.

Extra time is used in knockout matches when the relevant competition rules require it. Common examples include FIFA World Cup knockout matches and UEFA Champions League knockout ties.

The teams change ends between the two periods. There is no regular 15-minute half-time break between them. IFAB permits a short drinks break lasting no more than one minute.

 

Extra time does not stop automatically after a goal. Under the modern rules used in major professional competitions, both extra-time periods are played even if one team takes the lead early.

The golden-goal system, which once ended certain matches as soon as a team scored in extra time, is no longer part of the standard professional format.

Referees can also add stoppage time to either extra-time period. An injury in the 113th minute, for example, may cause the game to continue beyond 120:00.

Not every knockout competition uses extra time. Some competitions allow matches to proceed directly to penalties when the score remains tied after 90 minutes. The competition regulations determine which procedure applies.

 

What Happens if a Soccer Match Is Still Tied After Extra Time?

When a competition requires a winner and the teams remain level after extra time, a penalty shootout commonly decides which side advances.

Each team normally takes five penalties, alternating between teams. The shootout can end early if one side establishes a lead that the other can no longer overcome with its remaining kicks.

If both teams remain level after five kicks each, the shootout continues until one team has scored more than the other after an equal number of attempts.

A penalty shootout has no fixed duration. The time required depends on the number of kicks, preparation between attempts, refereeing decisions and possible retakes.

Crucially, penalty shootouts take place after the match has ended. Their goals do not become part of the match score.

For example:

• Score after 90 minutes: 1-1
• Score after 120 minutes: 1-1
• Penalty shootout: Team A wins 5-4
• Match result: 1-1 after extra time, Team A wins on penalties

Team A advances, but the match is still recorded as a draw after extra time. The five successful shootout penalties are reported separately.

The psychological challenge is also different from open play. Players have time to anticipate the consequences of each attempt, while goalkeepers must make decisions with limited information. Our article on the psychology of penalty shootouts and why favourites often lose them explores these pressures in greater detail.

 

How Long Does a Soccer Match Take in Real Life?

Official playing time does not tell the full story when planning to attend a match, watch it on television or follow the final result.

A normal professional match contains 90 scheduled minutes plus stoppage time and a half-time interval. A knockout fixture that reaches penalties adds two extra-time periods, short intervals and the shootout itself.

 

These are practical estimates rather than guaranteed schedules. Extended interruptions, long VAR reviews or an unusually lengthy penalty shootout can push the final whistle well beyond these ranges.

Example: A Soccer Match Starting at 8:00 PM

Suppose a knockout match starts at 8:00 PM, with three minutes of stoppage time in the first half and six minutes in the second.

 

If the winner is decided during normal time, the match could finish before 10:00 PM. If it reaches a penalty shootout, the event may continue until approximately 10:45 PM or later.

For television viewers following overseas competitions, kick-off times introduce another complication. A fixture scheduled for 8:00 PM in the United Kingdom will not necessarily start at 8:00 PM in South Africa. Our guide to why soccer kick-off times are easy to get wrong across time zones explains how to avoid scheduling mistakes.

 

Does Every Knockout Soccer Match Have Extra Time?

No. Knockout formats vary between competitions, and the rules can also differ between rounds of the same competition.

Some knockout matches use extra time followed by penalties. Others proceed directly to a shootout after normal time. Two-legged ties have another consideration: the aggregate score across both matches.

Suppose Team A wins the first leg 2-0 and loses the second leg 1-0. Team A still advances 2-1 on aggregate, so extra time is unnecessary.

If the first leg finishes 2-0 and the second leg finishes 0-2, the aggregate score is 2-2. In a competition using extra time, the teams then play two 15-minute periods to determine who advances.

UEFA removed the away-goals rule from its club competitions beginning with the 2021/22 season. Goals scored away from home no longer act as a tiebreaker in UEFA Champions League, Europa League or Conference League knockout ties.

If a UEFA Champions League two-legged knockout tie finishes level on aggregate, the teams play extra time at the end of the second leg. If they remain tied, penalties decide who progresses.

It is still important to check the regulations for the particular tournament. The IFAB Laws permit different approved methods of determining a winner, but competition organisers specify which ones are used.

 

Does Extra Time Count in Soccer Betting and Pool Results?

For soccer betting, the distinction between normal time and extra time can determine whether a selection wins or loses.

Standard three-way match-result markets generally use the score after 90 minutes plus stoppage time, unless their rules explicitly specify another settlement period.

South African soccer pools commonly use the following result codes:

• 1: Home team wins
• 2: Draw
• 3: Away team wins

Consider a knockout match where the home team draws 1-1 after normal time but wins 2-1 after extra time.

 

A supporter watching the match might say the home team won, which is true in terms of the knockout tie. But a standard 90-minute draw selection would still be correct because the score was level at the end of normal time.

The same distinction applies when a team advances on penalties. The shootout winner is not automatically the winner of a standard 90-minute match-result market.

Different operators can define their markets differently, including markets labelled To Qualify, To Advance, Including Extra Time or Winner of the Tie. For Soccer 6, Soccer 10 and Soccer 13, always check the relevant pool’s official settlement rules, particularly for postponed, abandoned or knockout fixtures.

 

Can a Soccer Match Last Longer Than 120 Minutes?

Yes. The 120-minute mark represents the scheduled end of the second extra-time period, not an absolute limit.

Just as referees add stoppage time during normal play, they can also add it to either period of extra time.

A player receiving lengthy medical treatment in the 118th minute, for example, may cause the match to continue several minutes beyond 120:00.

Major interruptions can extend the total elapsed time even further. Floodlight failures, severe weather, crowd disturbances and unsafe playing conditions can force the referee to suspend play.

If the match resumes, the interruption may cause the event to last much longer than its scheduled duration. If it cannot continue, the referee may abandon it.

Under IFAB Law 7, an abandoned match is replayed unless competition rules or organisers determine otherwise. The specific treatment of the result, whether the fixture is resumed or replayed, and any disciplinary consequences depend on the applicable regulations.

These exceptional delays are separate from the ordinary extra-time format. A match could take three hours from kick-off to its eventual finish without having three hours of actual playing time.

 

Do Youth and Amateur Soccer Matches Last 90 Minutes?

Not always. Youth and grassroots competitions often use shorter matches to suit players’ age, physical development and the structure of the competition.

The IFAB framework permits approved modifications to match duration in youth, veterans, disability and grassroots soccer. The relevant association or competition determines the format.

A younger age-group match might use two 20-minute or 25-minute halves, while older youth competitions may use longer periods. There is no single worldwide schedule that assigns an identical duration to every age group.

Adult amateur competitions commonly use the standard 90-minute format, although the applicable competition regulations should always be checked.

Half-time duration may also differ from the 15-minute professional standard. Shorter matches often use shorter intervals, particularly in youth tournaments involving several matches on the same day.

 

Common Questions About Soccer Match Duration

Is a soccer match 90 minutes or 105 minutes?

The scheduled playing time is 90 minutes. With a 15-minute half-time break, the minimum scheduled elapsed duration is 105 minutes. Stoppage time makes the actual event longer.

Does half-time count as part of the 90 minutes?

No. The 90 minutes consist of two 45-minute playing periods. Half-time is a separate interval and does not reduce either half.

Why does a soccer match sometimes reach 90+10?

The referee may add ten minutes or more when significant time has been lost to injuries, substitutions, VAR reviews, goal celebrations and other qualifying delays. A clock showing 90+10 is displaying stoppage time, not extra time.

Can a referee end a match before the announced stoppage time is completed?

The displayed allowance is the minimum additional time. The referee may increase it when further interruptions occur but cannot simply reduce the announced minimum. A half can also be extended to complete a penalty kick that must be taken or retaken.

Is there a break between the two halves of extra time?

There is no normal 15-minute half-time interval. Players change ends, and IFAB permits a short drinks break of no more than one minute.

Does a goal end extra time immediately?

No. The golden-goal rule is no longer used in standard major professional competitions. Both scheduled 15-minute extra-time periods are played even if one team scores first.

Can a knockout match go directly to penalties after 90 minutes?

Yes. Some competitions or specific knockout rounds use a penalty shootout without extra time. The competition rules determine the procedure.

Do penalty shootout goals count towards the final score?

No. Shootout goals are recorded separately from the match score. A game that finishes 1-1 after extra time remains 1-1 even if one team subsequently wins the shootout 5-4.

How long should I allow to watch a full soccer match?

Allow approximately two hours for a normal professional match. For a knockout fixture that might reach extra time and penalties, allowing around three hours provides a more comfortable margin, particularly if there are interruptions or a lengthy shootout.