Soccer is praised for being the longest-running sport in terms of length. Major sports like football, basketball and hockey have many stops that slow down the game, but soccer keeps it moving.
How long can soccer games last? Most soccer matches last around two hours, from the beginning to the last whistle. The match is divided into two halves, each lasting 45 minutes, plus stoppage time and halftime. Soccer games that are in a tournament or knockout can last longer because of the possibility of penalty kicks and extra time.
What to Expect from a Soccer Game
It doesn’t matter if it’s professional, college, or high school soccer. The match begins with the 45-minute long first half. The clock does not stop once the first half begins.. It is up the head referee’s decision to add stoppage time at the end.
It can be anywhere from 1 minute to 5 minutes in length.. This number is calculated based on how many times play was stopped during each half.
Referees signal how much extra time is added at each half. There is no break. This extra time is added to the 45-minutes already played. There could be up to 50 minutes of playtime.
Players have 15 minutes to go until halftime, once the head referee has signaled the end of the first period.. There is no exact time limit for most leagues. Therefore, there might be slight variation before play resumes. To please the networks and keep things straightened out, most games will be broadcast on time.
The second half will follow the same format as before. The head referee doesn’t pay attention to the exact time of stoppages in either half. The focus should be on when the last attack for a goal has been completed. If the goalkeeper has given the ball to the attacking team, the referee will let it continue for the final moments of the game.
Overtime
The majority of regular season soccer matches do not require overtime. It is considered a tie if the teams are tied. This does not apply if there is a winner that can move on to the next stage of a tournament or knockout. The overtime rule kicks in when this happens.
Although this refers to the duration of a soccer game, it is not a fixed number. The total time for the two teams is 30 minutes. They will split it into two halves. The two halves are separated by a short break of extra time. However, it is typically only a few minutes.
If the score is still not tied, a penalty shootout will be held to determine the winner. This is controversial because penalties are different from actually playing the game. In order to beat the other team, each team selects five players to take penalty kicks. If both teams tie after five penalty kicks it continues until one team is victorious.
Read more about overtime in the following post.
Can the Soccer Clock Stop in Soccer?
Every sport with a clock tends not to stop it throughout the game. But soccer is different. Even if there is a significant delay due to injury, replay, etc., the clock does not stop. The match is not stopped, but the extra time compensates.
Although some may think a reduced match is unfair, it is the only way that soccer has been played. Matches can end in a lot less than 90 minutes, but referees do their best to make things as precise as possible using extra time.
Other soccer game lengths
Most games do not last 90 minutes for younger players.. It will vary depending on the age group. The United States has 48 minute minimum time for Under-8 players. The time jumps to 50 minutes for Under-10 and 60 minutes for under-12. As the match progresses, full matches can be played at high school and beyond.
- Under-8=48 minutes
- Under-10=50 minutes
- Under-1260 Minutes
The shorter game lengths and smaller fields allow younger players to play soccer without feeling exhausted. These younger teams also have a lot of rosters, so it is difficult to make substitutions.
Soccer game length vs other sports
Soccer keeps its roots intact by moving matches at a very fast pace. No commercial breaks are available, so teams must use advertising in stadiums or on television screens. It is the most predictable major sport for its length.
Broadcasters can also schedule matches so that they do not run the risk of one match being delayed. If a sport like tennis or baseball does not have a timer, the company doesn’t know how long it will take. It can be a logistical nightmare to find a way for fans to feel satisfied.
Soccer fans have a more predictable time frame when they wish to watch the sport.. Live sports can sometimes disrupt a person’s schedule, but not if it nicely fits into a two-hour window. It is easier for international fans to catch up in the middle of the afternoon if they know they will have two hours to view an important match.