Professional soccer matches have set time limitations, unlike local friendly games, which can go as long as the participants wish. The short answer to the question of how long a soccer match will last is 105 minutes. However, this period may be prolonged based on the state of the game. As a result, the athletes need to practice focusing for extended periods.
How Long Is a Youth Soccer Game?
The age of the participants might affect how long a youth soccer match lasts. These regulations, nevertheless, do not directly relate to the foundations of soccer and might alter from nation to nation. The time limitations for youth soccer matches have been established by the American Youth Soccer Organization and the United States Youth Soccer Association. The only significant variations between the two standards are small. The length of the game increases as the participants get older.
Under 6
US Youth Soccer suggests 4 quarters of 6 minutes each for this age level. There can be no overtime. a total of two 10-minute halves. For all age groups, the half-time interval might last anywhere from five to 10 minutes.
Under 8
The US Youth Soccer rules state four quarters of 12 minutes each for this age level. There is no extra time.
Under 10
For youngsters ten years of age and younger, there are two 25-minute halves. Either body indicates a lack of overtime.
Under 12
For this age group, the US Youth Soccer is two 30-minute halves. Overtime periods can be two 10-minute halves. the same game time but does not refer to overtime or extra play.
Under 14
This age group plays over two periods of 35 minutes each. Additionally, the US Youth Soccer regulations include two 10-minute halves of overtime.
Under 16
Two 40-minute halves by both soccer organizations for 16U participants. Two 15-minute overtime periods are mentioned in the US Youth Soccer regulations for these matches.
Under 19
US Youth Soccer regulations stipulate two 45-minute halves for participants in the 19U age group and an overtime of two 15-minute halves.
How Long is a High School Soccer Game?
FIFA or the US Soccer Federation do not set rules for high school matches. The National Federation of State High School Associations, or NFHS, has established regulations for high school athletic competitions. Although each state is free to choose its length for soccer matches, the great majority of states use two 40-minute halves. This differs slightly from the US Soccer Federation’s recommendation that league games for players ages 17 to 19 consist of two 45-minute halves, which is the same duration as a college or professional soccer game.
How Long is a College Soccer Game?
Even though college soccer matches are governed by yet another different organization they follow the same game-length format.
Approximately 45 minutes.
Total Full-Time: 90 minutes
Duration of halftime: 15 minutes
Duration of overtime: two 15-minute halves
Moving from high school to college will provide new endurance problems as well as talent obstacles for the majority of soccer players. The extra ten minutes of playtime are a fourth gear that calls for intense cardio and training.
How Long Is a Professional Soccer Game?
A 90-minute professional soccer match is split into two 45-minute halves. The players have a 15-minute halftime break after the first half to recuperate. There can be no more breaks during the game. Although the maximum game duration is 105 minutes, most soccer games last longer. After each half, the referees may grant a brief period of stoppage time. This makes up for the time lost as a result of things like player substitutions, player medical attention, goal celebrations, or disciplinary measures. The on-field official decides the amount of extra time added to the game. The extra time often lasts 2 to 5 minutes. Remember that a high school or normal college soccer match might finish in a draw. Professional knockout or elimination games must, however, result in a certain victor. After a five-minute break, extra time is played if regulation and stoppage time have ended without a winner. The 30-minute extra time or overtime session is broken up into two 15-minute segments. The two portions are separated by a minute. Each of the two halves may get additional stoppage or injury time from the referee. After the extra time, if the score is still tied, penalty kicks or kicks at the soccer goal are used to decide the winner. Here, the goalie is protecting the goal, and each team is allowed five shots at it in a different order. The game is won by the side that scores the most goals in the shootout. The game moves on to a “sudden death” stage if the score is still tied after five shots. Up until just one team scores and is crowned the victor, the teams keep shooting at the goal. In actuality, the query “How long is a soccer match?” does not have a conclusive response. A soccer match’s duration might exceed 105 minutes depending on the circumstances. In certain instances, the playing time might even go above 140 minutes.
How Many Quarters in a Soccer Game?
There are no quarters in professional soccer games; instead, there are two halves. However, certain minor soccer leagues may feature several 10 or 12-minute quarters.
How Long Is Halftime Soccer?
Between two 45-minute halves, there is a 15-minute break known as halftime.
How Long Does It Take to Watch a Soccer Game?
A full soccer match in the knockout stage lasts longer than the 105 minutes that are allowed by rule. This occurs when a game goes into overtime and penalty shootouts without a conclusion after regulation time.
How Does Extra Period Work?
If the teams are deadlocked after 90 minutes of regular play, the additional time aids in determining a clear victor. The teams get an additional 30 minutes to score goals and devise a solution. Although playing in extra time is physically taxing for soccer players, it is an exciting moment for fans. A “golden goal” rule was previously applied to various competitions, including the 1998 FIFA World Cup. This meant that the victor of the game was determined by whatever team scored the first goal during extra time. The rules of the game have since altered; therefore this regulation is currently only sometimes applied in football games.
Why Does the Soccer Clock Count Up Rather Than Down?
To make the rules of the game straightforward, the soccer clock counts up. This makes it possible to play the game anywhere in the globe with a simple timepiece or an analog wristwatch. In addition, a game may have several pauses or delays. Stoppage time is therefore added after the game. Using a clock that counts up instead of down makes it simpler for the referee or a soccer coach to keep track of the stoppage time. In actuality, throughout a professional soccer match, the clock never stops ticking up. The fourth official or the assistant referee is in charge of keeping track of the stoppage time.
How does a penalty shootout work?
In the event of a tie after 120 minutes, both teams must be ready for a penalty shootout.
The process is as follows:
- A coin toss determines which team takes the first penalty
- Each squad receives five penalties
- Each penalty must be committed by a separate player
- Once all 10 penalties have been committed and one side has scored more goals than the other, or if either team builds an unstoppable lead, the winner will be declared
- In a sudden-death format, the shootout continues if both sides have an equal number of goals
- The takers proceed again in either the same or a different sequence until a winner is decided if there are enough penalties taken for each player from each side (including the goalie) to have taken one
The Final Whistle
That pretty much tells you all you need to know about the length of a soccer game at every level. The duration of soccer matches varies somewhat between states and leagues in the United States, even though regulations might vary for tournaments or other events. In the end, having both sides agree on the lengths of the first and second halves as well as whether or not there will be any overtime is the simplest approach to make sure there are no misunderstandings.