how long is a soccer game

A standard adult soccer game is 90 minutes of play, split into two 45‑minute halves, plus added stoppage time and a halftime break of up to 15 minutes.

Quick Scoop: How long is a soccer game?

• Regulation time: 90 minutes (2 × 45‑minute halves).

• Halftime: Usually 15 minutes between the two halves.

• Stoppage (added) time: A few extra minutes at the end of each half to make up for injuries, substitutions, VAR checks, and time‑wasting.

• Real‑world total: Most pro matches last about 1 hour 45 minutes from kickoff to final whistle (around 105 minutes including halftime and typical stoppage time).

What about extra time and penalties?

In knockout competitions (like World Cups and some cup tournaments), if the game is tied after 90 minutes, it can go to extra time : two additional 15‑minute periods (30 minutes total).

If it is still tied after extra time, the winner is decided by a penalty shootout , which adds a few more minutes but doesn’t have a fixed duration.

So depending on the competition and whether extra time is needed, a soccer game can last from about 1 hour 45 minutes up to a bit over 2 hours in real time.

Mini note on other levels

• College / many adult leagues: Still 90 minutes, 2 × 45‑minute halves, with similar halftime and stoppage time.

• Youth games: Often use shorter halves (for example, 2 × 35 minutes for some U13–U14 age groups), so the total is less than a full pro match.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.