How Long Is a Soccer Game?

How long is a youth soccer game?

Youth game length grows with age. Through U12 the numbers come from US Soccer's small-sided standards; for U13 and older, US Soccer sets no standard, so the table uses US Youth Soccer's national event rules, which match AYSO's maximum half lengths:

US Soccer sets no halftime for U13 and older, so the totals assume a 5- to 10-minute halftime, which is AYSO's range; check your league. A few more details:

• No added time in 7v7 and 9v9. US Soccer's standards say so directly, so a U10 game really is 50 minutes of play.
• 4v4 quarters can be shorter than 10 minutes when coaches and parents run the game. See how many quarters are in soccer for which ages use quarters.
• AYSO is shorter for the youngest players: a maximum of 2 × 10 minutes at U6 and 2 × 20 minutes at U7–U8.

So how long are kids' soccer games? For most U8–U10 games, plan on about an hour at the field for the game itself, plus warm-up. The youth soccer age groups guide shows the format and ball size for each age.

Game time calculator: when will the game end?

Pick a level and kickoff time to see the playing time, the total with breaks and an estimated finish time. Change the break if your league uses a different halftime.

Stoppage time is only an estimate. US Soccer's 7v7 and 9v9 standards have none, and in pro games the referee decides it during the game.

High school soccer: 80 minutes

Under NFHS rules, high school games are 80 minutes: two 40-minute halves, or four 20-minute quarters where the state adopts them, with a 10-minute halftime. Overtime and tiebreakers are set by each state, and our high school soccer rules guide covers them.

How long is a college soccer game?

NCAA games are two 45-minute halves with a 15-minute halftime. Halftime can be longer in the postseason or shorter if both teams agree. Games on live TV may also take a timeout of up to 2 minutes after the 23rd minute of each half.

• Regular season: no overtime. A game tied after 90 minutes goes down as a tie.
• Postseason: up to two 10-minute sudden-victory overtime periods, then penalty kicks. There's a 5-minute break before overtime and up to 2 minutes between periods.
• The clock stops for things like goals, cards, injuries and video reviews. New for 2026-27, it keeps running in the last 15 minutes when a team leads by 5 or more goals, except for serious injuries and reviews.

College substitution and re-entry rules differ from high school and youth soccer; see NCAA soccer substitution rules.

How long is a professional soccer game?

The Laws of the Game (IFAB Law 7) set two equal halves of 45 minutes, so there are 90 minutes in a soccer game before stoppage time. Halves can be shortened only if the referee and both teams agree before kickoff and the competition allows it. The half-time interval can't be longer than 15 minutes, so with stoppage time a pro game takes close to two hours.

The FIFA World Cup 26 used exactly that: 90 minutes, a 15-minute half-time and, in knockout games, 2 × 15 minutes of extra time after a 5-minute break, then penalties.

How long is halftime in soccer?

Stoppage time and extra time (quick version)

Stoppage time, officially "additional time", is added at the end of each half for time lost to substitutions, injuries, cards, VAR checks and other delays. The board shows the minimum, and the referee can add more. Extra time is different: up to two 15-minute periods, played only when a tied game needs a winner, then penalties. Youth 7v7 and 9v9 games under US Soccer standards have no added time, and college games stop the clock instead. Our stoppage time and extra time guide explains how referees decide added time and how overtime works at each level.

How much actual playing time is in a soccer game?

Far less than 90 minutes. At the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025, FIFA measured an average of 54 minutes and 1 second of ball-in-play time per match. The rest goes to throw-ins, goal kicks, free kicks, substitutions, injuries and goal celebrations.

Pro soccer makes up some of that lost time with stoppage time, and college soccer stops the clock. For youth coaches, it also means a sub plan built on the game clock is a target: subs happen at the next stoppage, not on the exact second.

How long is a futsal game?

Futsal has two 20-minute periods of playing time with a stopped clock run by a timekeeper, so a game takes longer than 40 minutes. Halftime is up to 15 minutes, and each team gets one 1-minute timeout per period. Indoor arena leagues set their own game lengths.

Once you know your game length, the playing time calculator shows how many minutes each player gets for your roster.