Soccer games are very popular in the world! People organize communities and tournaments together and watch them in bars.
Once I was traveling and so engaged in a soccer game watching together with a crowd of fans! This was amazing! The atmosphere and courage in the game caught me immediately.
I did not know the rules. But noticed that soccer games last longer than other sports. This is because there is stoppage time, sometimes extra time, and even a penalty shootout.
So, how long does it last to see the whole soccer game?
Let’s find out in this article.
Soccer game
To play a game it usually takes 2 hours. Game time is 90 minutes with 45 and 45 parts, plus stoppage time with 15 minutes break.
Sometimes it might take additional time (15 mins extra), stoppage time, and 1 minute for the break.
If the situation is still unsure, they play a penalty shootout.
Soccer games
Despite the above-described timings, types of soccer games vary. The length depends on age and tournament.
For example, some professional games will last no longer than 90 minutes and 10 extra. While youth soccer games last less than 90 minutes.
Youth soccer games
Depending on the age, youth soccer leagues play from 40 to 90 minutes in a soccer match. The youth soccer game will vary in length of the game, overtime halves, and how the game is broken. There are two 45-minute halves in a game.
There are regulations describing the length of the game:
- college soccer game for 17-19-year-olds is broken into 45+45 main and 15+15 overtime halves.
- high school soccer games for 15-16-year-olds are 5 minutes less in the main part, but with the same two overtime halves.
- soccer game for 13-14 year kids is 35 minutes halves and two 10 minutes halves.
- soccer matches for 11-12 years old teenagers are 30 minutes long and 20 minutes overtime.
- 9-10 years old children play only for 30 minutes but NO overtime!
- the youngest league (6-7 years old) plays only four 10 minutes of quarters and has no overtime.
What does overtime depend on?
They are played only if the winner is unclear. For example, multi-team tournaments or championship games will use overtime to determine which teams move forward and ultimately win.
If a team scores enough goals to win the soccer game within the first half of overtime, the second overtime is not played, and the soccer game is over.
Youth soccer game
Soccer games for younger leagues (10 years old and lower) end at the end of the main time. Even if the winner is not clear.
The aim of the game in this age is to develop players rather than focus on winners. Player development, dribbling and passing, discipline, and teamwork are skills this game focuses on.
How long is a professional soccer game?
Both for women and men, a professional soccer game is played for 90 minutes full-time. It is broken into 2 halves equally and there is a 15 minutes long interval between them.
Soccer game on the professional level is judged by a special organization that entirely changes, adds, and updates the rules to make the game as much exciting for fans as possible. They also care about players’ safety.
So, in simple words, players lay two halves non-stop running and actively playing but in the extra overtime period, they can take a rest and drink or listen to the tips of their trainer.
Official rules
FIFA Law 7 claims all details in the official rules that professional leagues follow in professional soccer games:
- Periods of play – Unless the referee and both teams mutually agree otherwise, the soccer game is divided into two 45-minute halves. Any agreement to shorten the play times (such as reducing each half to 40 minutes due to dim lighting) must be established before the game begins and must adhere to the competition’s rules.
- Half-time intervals – At halftime, players are entitled to a break. The half-time break cannot be longer than 15 minutes. The length of the half-time break must be specified in the competition rules. Only with the referee’s approval may the length of the half-time break be changed.
- Allowance for time lost – Any time lost due to player substitutions, player injury evaluations, player withdrawal from the field of play for medical attention, time wastage, or other causes is allowed in any period. The referee has the discretion to make up for the lost time.
- Penalty kick – If a penalty kick has to be taken or retaken, the duration of either half is extended until the kick is completed.
The minimum additional time set by the referee at the conclusion of the final minute of each half is signaled by the fourth official on the field, who is often positioned between the two sides on the sidelines. The referee may extend extra time, but not decrease it.
The length of the game cannot be altered in the second half to make up for a timekeeping error that occurred in the first.
In other words, the stoppage time resets as the second half begins.
An abandoned match is a soccer game that was not finished for any reason. By the rules, it should be replayed.
Why does a soccer game last for 90 minutes?
This was an old agreement in the 1866 match made by the Football club team, who were the creators of the Major League soccer games.
Since that time it is played for 90 minutes and the rules influenced all universities’ games, Youth soccer leagues, and College soccer games in the Sheffield Football Association of modern times.
How long is a college soccer game?
It has no difference from a professional soccer match that usually goes for 90 minutes and 15 minutes break.
Postseason games that finish tied go into two 10-minute overtime periods, followed by a penalty shootout if the scoreline remains even.
All the details are also described in the same FIFA Law 7. There is no difference between male and female games.
- Two 45-minute periods are separated by a 15-minute break, making up the 90 minutes of regulation time.
- After the 23rd minute of each half in live televised games, there may be a two-minute timeout.
- Regular-season contests may end in a draw.
- The game is extended for the penalty kick if the clock runs out right after the official has given out a penalty kick.
- Games in the postseason that are tied go into two 10-minute overtime periods.
- There are no golden goal, sudden triumph, or sudden death rules; therefore the game continues throughout overtime.
- When the leading side makes a substitution in the final five minutes of the second half, or the second period of overtime, the game clock pauses.
Additional time
Extra time can be given if a referee decides it. Often it happens if there is an injury or replacement.
Other cases may include a waste of time if the team was leading and some disciplinary breakouts. Referees use special cards with a number of them to show viewers and players the exact time that will be given.
The referee can always extend the extra time when teams play it; but, he or she cannot shorten it. The period will be prolonged until the penalty kick is taken if it is taken at the very end of the game. The match will terminate when the referee blows their whistle.
Penalties and extra time
While this is true for tournament games, there must be a certain winner in some cup or knockout games.
This means that if a game is tied, it may be decided whether to proceed directly to a penalty shootout or to a rematch at a later time. Alternatively, extra time could be used to break the tie.
The following two 15-minute halves will then be played at the conclusion of the given time, with a brief 5-minute break in between.
At the conclusion of this extra time, if the score is still tied, a penalty shootout will be used to decide the winner and the side moving on to the next round, each being taken by a different player.
Each group takes 5 penalties, alternating between them. The team that scores the most points out of their five wins the game.
How long are High school soccer games?
According to the recommendation of the World Football Association, High school soccer games should last for two 45 minutes halves played in the main game.
In case of a tie, the game will be played extra time if:
- there was an injury
- the penalty was in the last minute of the match and has to be retaken
Teams will get only two ten minutes time periods, and the winner is declared the team that scores the most or the first during the given extra time. Usually, they toss a coin to decide who starts with the ball in the extra time.
If the game is not finished, but extra time is over, referees count the game as a draw. If this game with a draw was a regular season game, the winner will be decided in the post-season.
If this is a post-season high school soccer game that ended with a draw, it must be replayed by adding more extra time.
The high school soccer game is a bit shorter than the college game, with two 40-minute halves for a total of 80 minutes of play.
How do penalty shootouts work in soccer?
As it is already described above about the extra time and ties, teams may transition to a penalty shootout to identify a winner in the game. A penalty shootout is a kick competition.
The five best players will line up to start a kick. One by one they will kick the ball until someone shoots it against the goalkeeper.
The team with the most goals is the winner.
Or the game will last until every player in a team kicks the ball, they cannot kick the ball twice before all the players kick.
How long is a Women’s College soccer game?
Female college soccer games last the same as male games in regular seasons, with 20 minutes of overtime play if there is a tie, and they are looking for a winner. A penalty shootout can also take place if there is no winner during the overtime.
In contrast, a girls’ high school game is 80 minutes long. What makes these 80 minutes? 40 + 40 minutes or four quarters of 20 minutes. There is a 10-minute break in between the main halves.
Because TV does not show the whole break as in live matches in the stadium, the time shortens to 112 minutes.
Conclusion
Let’s finalize the questions about soccer. This sport is amazing as it is more active than football. Rarely you will see a draw in the game due to extra time or penalty shootouts.
As for the quarters: we will say there are halves, not quarters. Two halves.
Each half lasts for 45 minutes, commonly according to the rules of FIFA Law 7. However, they may depend on the age of the players.
Referees can add extra time if there is no clear winner over the main time. So, for example, they played the first 45 minutes and the referee adds an extra 15 minutes there to decide the winner.
In case of injuries or players decide to take a break as there is a winner in scores for the moment after the first half of the game, they can drink water and talk to the coach instead.
Substitutions can be made too over the period. After the end of the time, no other changes or stops are allowed.
Then teams play another half of the game to score the most. If the game ended with a draw again, the referee assigns the penalty shooting time. Five players line up to kick a ball. Over ten minutes of time, the team that scores the most will win. Two teams have equal times of kicking the ball.
Now you know how people play soccer, both professionally and at a young age. The next soccer match will be easier and more exciting to view!
FAQ:
- Are there four quarters in soccer?
It is better to say there are two 45-minute halves – each lasts for 45 minutes.
- How long is a soccer game?
It depends on the age of the players. Common time may be 90 minutes, but children of 6-7 years old play it only for 60 minutes.
- Does soccer have 2 halves?
Yes. Not four quarters, but two 45-minute halves. And here there is no difference if males or females play the game or if this is a youth or professional league.
- Does soccer have quarters or halves?
Officially, they are called halves.