A tense football match is ending ... And it still won’t end. The referee with the referee's whistle still won’t announce the finish. It seems that all time limits have already come out. All patience is over. And the viewer has a question. How long does a football match last?
If by the rules
The code of practice for football is clear. The time of a football match is 90 minutes, divided into two halves of 45 minutes, between which there is a fifteen-minute break for the rest of the players. For young football players, shorter matches are provided. It all depends on the age category.
If for "life"
It would seem that this could have ended, but the fact is that in football there is no pure playing time. During pauses caused by substitutions of players, the return of the ball after it leaves the field, injuries to players and exits on the field and other force majeure, the stopwatch does not stop. The referee during the match, as it were, accumulates these delays and at the end of the game sets a compensated time, designed to return the “pause” time to the game. How much time to add, only the judge decides, these additives are not strictly regulated. The judges have only recommendations in this regard. Therefore, unfortunately, the participants of the match and spectators often have questions to the referee on the topic: why was added, for example, exactly two minutes, and not three. In addition, pauses exacerbate the situation already at the very compensated time. As a rule, judges add time for pauses in, as it does not sound tautological, time is no longer announced.
As a result, the chief referee himself sometimes does not know how long a football match will last.
Unhealthy excitement with the added time of the match could solve the example of mentally close to soccer ball hockey, where the judge immediately after a significant pause, if he considers it necessary, adds some time and announces this to everyone. At the end of the game, a more or less clear added-on time is understood from the sum. Alas, this football experience is not yet in demand.
If the "cup"
The special status in football is in cup matches. In matches in the tournament system on the principle of “lost - dropped out” it cannot be a draw, not that rare, by the way, in football. In order to determine the winner, it may take a very long time. Even ... forever.
So how long does a football cup match last? The usual rules for cup matches are as follows. First, 90 minutes according to the rules with the judge’s supplement (if the judge considers it necessary). If the score at the end of this time is equal, then an additional 30 minutes are assigned, divided into two halves of fifteen minutes, again with a referee's addition (if, again, the referee considers it necessary). If there is a draw even after extra time, then a penalty shoot-out is awarded. Each team inflicts five hits from the 11-meter mark. Whoever scores more is considered the winner. But if equality is discovered again, the teams strike one hit before the first error. Not scoring - loses. This series of penalties can stretch the time of a football match theoretically to eternity if the teams manage to maintain equality all the time.
The longest penalty shootout is considered to be the series that happened in 2005 in the first round match of the Namibian Cup between the Pallas and Civics teams. After the main and additional time - 2: 2. In the penalty shootout, 48 (!) Shots and fifteen misses with the final victory of Pallas - 17:16 (!).
The longest penalty shootout at the national team level took place in 2007 at the European Championship among youth teams between the English and the Dutch. After a draw 1: 1, the English won - 13:12.
Record figures were once set in the match of the third round of the FA Cup and Liverpool with Middlesbrough, breaking 15 times in the penalty shootout. The result is 14:13 in favor of Liverpool. It took the teams 16 minutes. Watch the video:
It is curious that the penalty shootout was introduced into the rules only in the 70s of the last century. Previously, teams in the event of a draw replayed matches until someone did win. Later, lots began to be used - for example, tossing a coin. In modern life, these methods of determining winners are rarely used. The first one does not have enough time in the busy calendar of competitions, and the second one is unfair. It was the sense of injustice experienced by the players of the USSR team after the semifinal of the 1968 European Championship, when they lost to the Italians only because they chose the wrong side of the coin. A penalty shootout is a compromise between injustice and lack of time.
If we’ll agree
Some transient tournaments are held according to special rules. The time of such football matches is negotiated separately. As a rule, it is shorter than the official 90 minutes and may consist of one half. Under the “contractual” regulations, friendly training matches may also take place.
If to the "tram"
Yard football will not obey the rules and regulations. How long does a football match last here? The end of the match may be a certain number of goals scored, a difference in the score, or something else. Even ... let's say the tenth tram running next to the football field.
Therefore, it’s impossible to say with absolute accuracy how long a football match takes. 90 minutes by the rules is just a guideline.