Soccer games are scheduled for 90 minutes of play on the field in addition to stoppage time in both halves. However, this does not mean that this is how long the soccer game actually lasts. There are a number of factors that contribute to this. It is important to answer this question: How long is a soccer game?
Answering this question isn’t as straightforward as it may seem. It requires research to figure out the answer, but it is important to know the true length of a soccer game. Without further ado, we will explore the true length of a soccer game and provide the answer to this question.
How Long Is a Soccer Game? | Injuries
There are many factors that affect the length of a soccer game. One of the main factors that affect the length of a soccer game are injuries. Unfortunately, injuries are a part of the reality of professional sports. This includes soccer, naturally, even though advances in modern medicine, nutrition, and training have helped to address this issue.
Injuries can make a soccer game take longer, since referees add stoppage time to account for injuries. The amount of stoppage time varies. Usually, stoppage time due to injuries is only a few minutes, but it can take longer.
How Long Is A Soccer Game? | VAR and Other Referee Decisions
Quite a few top soccer leagues have implemented VAR (video assistant referees) and this can also affect how long a soccer game lasts. The amount of time spent on VAR varies from league to league. Some leagues, such as the Bundesliga or Serie A, typically have fairly short VAR reviews and thus the game isn’t held up for these decisions for too long. However, this is not the case in all of the top soccer leagues in Europe.
The English Premier League is a prime example of this. VAR reviews in the English Premier League often take a while and this leads to increased stoppage time in Premier League matches. This fact frustrates many fans, since long VAR reviews take away from the excitement of the game. It is understandable that fans would dislike long VAR reviews and prefer the process to take less time so they can enjoy the game more thoroughly.
In any case, it is important to mention referee decisions when discussing the length of a soccer game. It is a crucial factor that affects soccer games all the time.
How Long Is a Soccer Game? | Timewasting Affects the Length
Another notable factor that affects the length of a soccer game is timewasting. Many fans dislike timewasting and want referees to crack down on it to increase the excitement of the game. However, it remains a common tactic among teams at virtually all levels of the sport.
This may mean taking one’s time to take a corner, a goalkeeper waiting as long as possible to take a goal kick, or spending an excessive amount of time setting up for a free kick. Regardless, timewasting certainly affects the length of a soccer game. Time will tell if referees and leagues take further measures to discourage this tactic.
Water Breaks Affect The Game’s Length
Staying hydrated is key to performing at one’s best in professional sports. As a result, most professional and even some amateur soccer leagues have implemented water breaks during matches. This often occurs when the temperature reaches a certain point and it is determined that players need a water break to keep going.
These breaks typically happen at the 30-minute and 75-minute mark. Water breaks in soccer can take up to a maximum of three minutes. There are even water breaks at the FIFA World Cup. These began at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and have continued since, including at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Restarts Influence the Game’s Length
One difference between soccer and another sport like basketball is that the game doesn’t immediately continue after one team scores in soccer. In basketball, the team that was scored against takes the ball out and inbounds it to quickly continue the ball. However, this is not the case in soccer.
In soccer, after a goal, the game receives a restart with the ball at the center of the field. Both teams line up once again. It is essentially a copy of the kickoff routine that soccer teams perform at the very start of the game. Naturally, these restarts take some time and affect the length of the soccer game.
It is also important to note the fact that restarts do not always take the same amount of time. One team might be hesitant to let the team score have the ball, the celebrations might take a while, or there might be a confrontation between the two teams after the goal. Either way, it is necessary to consider restarts when evaluating the amount of time a soccer game lasts.
How Long Is A Soccer Game with the Ball Actually in Play?
One might want to know how long the ball is actually in play when they ask about a soccer game’s length. This is an understandable question to want the answer to and it is important to answer this question when covering this topic. It might seem simple to answer. However, this is not necessarily the case.
The amount of time the ball is in play varies from league to league for a variety of reasons. Some leagues are stricter than others when it comes to keeping the ball in play for as much of the match as possible. There is a general answer to this question, though. On average, the ball is actually in play for about 55-60 minutes of a soccer game at the highest level.
This might seem like a long time for the ball to be out of play. In some ways, this is true. However, it is challenging to alter this reality and it is important to understand that the ball being out of play for some time will always happen.
Answering the question ‘how long is a soccer game’ isn’t easy, but hopefully, it is more clear now.