Jennifer ·
How Long Does Half-time in Football Last?
For many, football is the most beautiful pastime in the world. The modern version is already almost 200 years old, and rules have often changed over time. Even football experts no longer know why some rules are the way they are today. That is why today we would like to clarify how long half-time lasts in football.
Read on, and we'll answer your questions about half-time, match duration, breaks, the extra time, and everything else you need to know about the entire playing time of a football match.
How long does half-time last in football?
The history of football goes back several hundred years, but half-time, as we know it today, has only existed since 1875. Today, half-time lasts 45 minutes, interrupted only by a 15-minute break. The 45-minute limit means players no longer have to constantly play throughout the game.
This makes it possible to better distribute the forces and play stronger over the entire duration of the game. That is why both players and spectators benefit from the two halves of a match. In addition, the second half is often more exciting than the first because the teams make tactical changes during the break in between.
While the half-time in football lasts 45 minutes for adults, this can differ for younger players. For example, the underage U16/U17 teams play 40 minutes per half, and the U14/U15 only 35 minutes. This goes down to the so-called Bambinis (U7), who play a maximum of 20 minutes per half-time.
How long does the half-time break in football last?
The break between half-times lasts 15 minutes. It allows the players to regain their strength and have a drink. Then, the coach can give the players instructions on how to play in the second half. Of course, the score after the first half plays an important role here.
The half-time break in football is also used for substitutions, especially in unusual situations and events. If a team is far behind, for example, the coach can go on the offensive in order to catch up. If a player is injured or feels unwell, the coach can have him treated immediately or substitute him.
Moreover, the coach and the team also use the break for additional motivation. In football, it often happens that a team is unrecognisable after the break. Then the coach probably gives a special speech to spur his players on. That's why what happens at half-time is almost as important as the actual game on the pitch.
How long does a football match last?
The regular playing time of an adult football match is 90 minutes. This consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. The break in between is not part of the playing time and is, therefore, not counted. If you take all the times together, a football match usually lasts 105 to 110 minutes with 90 minutes of play.
But the game is rarely over after 90 minutes of play. Depending on the interruptions during the game, stoppage time is added. The game is only over when the referee blows his whistle. For example, if you want to watch a game live in the stadium, you should take into account the arrival and departure times as well as the stoppage time.
In the next section we will explain how stoppage time is calculated. Theoretically, this also has an influence on how long the second half of football lasts. After the first half, it is also possible to replay, but this is usually not a decisive factor, since the first half is often blown early.
What is the length of stoppage time?
The stoppage time is intended as compensation for the interruptions during the season. These can be a lot of events in football and the length of stoppage time regularly causes discussions in close matches. After all, narrow wins are among the most common football results. Therefore, the stoppage time for the previous team cannot be long enough.
In order to calculate the stoppage time, the referee includes all interruptions of the game. This includes, in particular, substitutions, player treatments, time-lapses, and disciplinary measures. In addition, since the video proof, the time that the referee needs to evaluate the videos has also been added.
As a result, most games have 1-5 minutes stoppage time. But, of course, it can also take longer if the game has been interrupted often and for a long time. The longest stoppage time in the UK was in the district league between clubs from Bottrop and Wesel, who had to play a total of 102 minutes following an injury to Hammers defender Dan Potts.
World Cup & European Championship Half Time Duration and Extension
The half-time lasts just as long at the Football World Cup & European Championships as it does at the usual league games. So that's also 45 minutes each, with a break of 15 minutes in between. Then the stoppage time is added before the referee then whistles the game. However, this only applies to group games.
In the knockout phase, extra time can be added. If the game is still a tie at the end of the game and stoppage time, the game goes into stoppage with two more halves of 15 minutes each without a break. So, the teams have another 30 minutes (plus any short injury time) to score goals and win.
If the extra time of 2x15 minutes ends goalless, the penalty shoot-out will follow at the World Cup & European Championships. The shooters of the teams take turns to score more goals from the penalty spot. That's at least five shooters, but if no winner is determined after the first 5, more shooters are added until one team has one more goal than the other.
Due to these special rules, the World Cup & European Championships matches in the final round can last several hours. The same applies to other tournaments such as the champions league, Europa League, or cup competitions. That's why it's always important to have some patience in the knockout rounds.
Conclusion: The half-time in football lasts until the referee whistles
Normally, the half-time of football for adults lasts a long 45 minutes. But it is much more important to pay attention to the referee. Because only when he whistles the half-time or the game is over.
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