How many minutes are there in a regulation football match ?

The duration of a regulation football match is 90 minutes, split into two 45-minute halves with a 15-minute halftime break. However, additional time may be added at the end of each half to compensate for stoppages during the game, known as "stoppage time" or "injury time." When including pre-match warm-ups and halftime, the total time for the event can range from approximately 115 to 125 minutes. In some competitions, matches may extend even further due to extra time or penalty shootouts.

How Many Minutes Are There in a Regulation Football Match?

A regulation football match, as per the rules set by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), consists of two 45-minute halves, separated by a 15-minute halftime break. This adds up to a total duration of:

90 minutes for the game itself.

However, it's important to note that this is just the playing time. In practice, there are additional periods to consider:

Stoppage Time

During each half, the referee may add extra time at the end of each half to compensate for any delays that occurred during the half due to injuries, substitutions, or other stoppages. This added time is called "stoppage time" or "injury time." The length of stoppage time can vary greatly depending on the specific circumstances of the match.

Pre-Match and Halftime Breaks

Before the match begins, teams usually have a warm-up period that lasts approximately 10-15 minutes. Additionally, there's a 15-minute halftime break between the first and second halves.

Total Time Including Breaks:

When you include these breaks, the overall time from the beginning of the pre-match warm-up to the end of the match could be around:

  • Pre-match warm-up: 10-15 minutes
  • First half: 45 minutes + stoppage time
  • Halftime break: 15 minutes
  • Second half: 45 minutes + stoppage time

This gives us a total time of approximately 115 to 125 minutes for the entire event, including warm-ups and breaks.

It's also worth noting that in some competitions, such as cup matches that might require extra time or a penalty shootout to determine a winner, the total duration can extend even further. Extra time consists of two 15-minute halves with a 1-minute break in between, adding an additional 30 minutes to the match. If a penalty shootout follows, it would add a few more minutes to the overall time.