The 2022 World Cup — and the performances of the USMNT in particular — attracted plenty of new American fans to a sport quite low down the pecking order in the USA.
It’s the turn of the USWNT this summer — a U.S. team accustomed to a little more success in soccer — as they chase a historic third successive World Cup triumph in Australia and New Zealand.
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Fans of traditional American sports will be more used to watching games that are split into four quarters rather than two halves so here is a full explanation of the length of a football, or soccer, match.
How long is a game of soccer?
Games ordinarily last a total of 90 minutes, split into two 45-minute halves.
However, the game isn’t brought to an abrupt end when the clock hits 45 or 90 minutes, as might be the case in other sports.
The clock will run throughout the match, even when the ball leaves the pitch. That leads to stoppage time, or added time, which caused quite the commotion at the 2022 World Cup and has been similarly extensive at the 2023 tournament.
How long is stoppage time?
Stoppage time is added at the end of both halves to account for all the pauses in play, although it still doesn’t quite reflect the amount of time spent when the ball is not on the pitch.
Prior to the 2022 World Cup, in ordinary circumstances, football fans were accustomed to a minute or two being added on at the end of the first half and three or four minutes at the end of the second half.
However, the amount of stoppage time was been completely different at the 2022 World Cup. FIFA’s referees committee chairman, Pierluigi Collina spoke on the eve of the tournament about how they are hoping to “offer more show” by adding more stoppage time than usual.
“Imagine if there are two or three goals scored in a half, it’s easy to lose three, four or five minutes just to goal celebrations,” said the former referee. “This time has to be considered and compensated at the end and, in addition, the time lost due to VAR intervention.
“During matches in Russia (at the 2014 World Cup), it became quite normal to have the fourth official showing the electronic board with seven, eight or nine minutes on it. The purpose is to offer more show to those who are watching the World Cup.”
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This was reiterated to officials ahead of the 2023 World Cup, and during the group stage the amount of added time has been significantly higher than it would be usually with five minutes or more becoming the norm at the ends of both halves.
GO DEEPER
Don’t say you weren’t warned about long World Cup matches…
Are the games still 90 minutes in the knockout stage of the World Cup?
Not necessarily.
The majority of the games during the knockout stage will be 90 minutes long like usual. However, there is the added prospect of extra-time.
A period of 30 minutes, split into 15-minute halves, will be added at the end of the knockout games that finish as a draw.
Unlike in the group stage where draws were allowed, a winner has to be determined in each knockout match so, if it is level after the regulation time, extra-time will ensue.
Like in normal time, there is every likelihood that there will still be no winner after the extra 30-minute period which brings the final method to produce a result: penalties!
How does a penalty shootout work?
Each team must prepare for a penalty shootout if it a draw after 120 minutes.
Here is how it works:
- Coin toss determines which team takes first penalty
- Both teams take five penalties each
- A different player must take each penalty
- The winner will be determined once the 10 penalties have been taken and there is a team with more goals or when either team establishes an insurmountable lead
- If the teams have the same amount of goals, the shootout continues in a sudden death format
- If enough penalties are taken whereby each player from each team (including the goalkeeper) has taken one, the takers go again in either the same or a new order until a winner is determined
(Top photo: Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
