{"id":16092,"date":"2026-01-18T14:20:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T11:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/?p=16092"},"modified":"2026-03-22T14:07:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T11:07:19","slug":"how-long-is-a-football-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/how-long-is-a-football-match\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Is a Football Match?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re new to the game (and yes, we mean football as in soccer, not the American kind), you might be wondering about something that seems simple: how long is a football match?<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve probably heard that a match is 90 minutes, but then someone mentions half-time, or games going into extra time and penalties, and it all gets a bit confusing.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re about to break down exactly how long a football game lasts under different situations, so you\u2019ll know the football game length from kickoff to final whistle, including all the added bits in between.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How Long Does a Football Game Last?<\/h2>\n

How long is a football match? A standard football match lasts <\/span>90 minutes<\/b>, split into <\/span>two halves of 45 minutes<\/b>. There’s a <\/span>15-minute half-time break<\/b> in between.<\/span><\/p>\n

But that\u2019s just the base. In reality, the full time you see on the clock will almost always go <\/span>beyond 90 minutes<\/b> \u2013 that\u2019s where stoppage time, extra time, and penalties can come in, depending on the context.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how long is a football match including half-time and all these extras?<\/span><\/p>\n

The short answer: <\/span>roughly 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes)<\/b> for a normal match, but it can stretch to around 2 hours 30 minutes or more if extra time and penalties come into play.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Match Type<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nDuration<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nTotal Time (Appro<\/strong>x.)<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Standard Match (No Extras)<\/span><\/td>\n90 mins + stoppage + break<\/span><\/td>\n~1 hr 45 mins<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
With Extra Time<\/span><\/td>\n90 mins + 30 mins + break<\/span><\/td>\n~2 hrs 15 mins<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
With Penalty Shootout<\/span><\/td>\n90 + 30 + penalties<\/span><\/td>\n~2 hrs 30 mins<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Youth\/Amateur Match (Shorter)<\/span><\/td>\n60\u201380 mins total<\/span><\/td>\nVaries by age<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

According to official football rules<\/a> during each 45-minute half, the clock keeps running even when the ball is out of play. Unlike some sports, there are <\/span>no time-outs<\/b> in football and no commercial breaks. The game clock doesn\u2019t stop for minor interruptions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Play generally flows continuously, aside from the occasional pause for fouls, injuries, or the ball going out of bounds. This means you pretty much get 45 minutes of continuous action, then a break, then another 45 minutes of action.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the first 45 minutes, if there’s no stoppage time, the referee blows for half-time, and everyone disappears down the tunnel for their team talk and a rest. Once the 15 minutes are up, the teams come back out, switch sides of the pitch, and kick off the second half, which is another 45 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

But if some time was wasted during the game, <\/span>stoppage time<\/b> comes in, which we\u2019ll explain next.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Stoppage Time (Injury Time)<\/h2>\n

Stoppage time<\/b>, also known as <\/span>injury time<\/b> or simply <\/span>added time<\/b>, is additional minutes added at the end of each half to make up for time lost during play.<\/span><\/p>\n

This could be for:<\/span><\/p>\n