How Long Is a Football Match? Halves, Added Time and Extra Time

A football match lasts 90 minutes: two halves of 45 minutes each. But the clock does not stop for injuries or substitutions, so the referee adds time at the end of each half. In real life, a professional match usually takes about an hour and three quarters from kick-off to final whistle.

The halves and half-time

Law 7 of the Laws of the Game sets two equal halves of 45 minutes, unless the competition and both teams agree otherwise. Youth matches are often shorter. The half-time interval must not be longer than 15 minutes.

Added time

The referee adds time to each half for time lost to:

• substitutions
• injuries and the treatment of injured players
• time-wasting
• disciplinary sanctions
• VAR checks and reviews
• goal celebrations and drinks breaks

The fourth official shows the minimum added time on a board. The referee can play longer than shown, but not less. Since the 2022 World Cup, referees have been told to account for lost time more precisely, so long added times of eight to ten minutes or more are now common.

Extra time

In knockout matches that must have a winner, a draw after 90 minutes leads to extra time: two halves of 15 minutes, with a short break between them. Teams may make an extra substitution in extra time if the competition allows it.

Penalties

If the scores are still level after extra time, the match goes to kicks from the penalty mark, a shootout of five kicks each and then sudden death. A shootout usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. Read the full rules in our penalty kick guide.

How long it all takes

Abandoned matches

If a match is stopped for good, because of weather, crowd trouble or a team falling below seven players, the competition rules decide whether it is replayed, completed later, or the result stands.

For more on the rules behind match time, read our football rules guide and how many players are on a football team.