Added time in soccer: rules, regulations, and records
What is added time in soccer and who decides how long it is? What was the longest added time ever? ⚽ Discover all the information and records right here!
Soccer is simple enough. There are two teams, the ball is round, and the match lasts for 90 minutes... or does it? According to Spanish newspaper Marca, the ball is in play for around only 50 minutes per game. The rest of the time is taken up by interruptions, such as substitutions, corners, throw-ins, goal kicks, fouls, and free kicks.
This missing time is compensated in soccer at the end of each half with what’s known as “added time”, “injury time”, or “stoppage time”. In this article, you’ll find everything you need to know about the rule, including what it is, how long it is, and records through the ages.
How long is added time in soccer?
The length of injury time in soccer varies from game to game, depending on the number of stoppages and the referee’s decision. The rules don’t specify how long added time should last and there is no maximum stoppage time in soccer. It all works on a game-by-game basis.
In the official rules, there are various reasons as to why time is added in soccer. These include:
- Substitutions
- Timewasting by players
- Disciplinary measures such as handing out yellow or red cards
- On-pitch medical assessments and removal of injured players
- VAR reviews by either the video assistant referee on the main referee
- Medically necessary interruptions based on context, such as drinks breaks
- Disruptions from the spectators, such as rioting or shooting fireworks onto the soccer field
- Other factors that delay the game, such as goal celebrations
Who decides on the added time in soccer?
During the game, the referee keeps track of any stoppages in play. At the end of each half, they decide how many minutes should be added before notifying the fourth official of this amount via their headset. The fourth official then displays this number to everyone on the pitch and in the crowd by holding up an electronic board.
If further delays occur during the added time, the referee can allow more time to be played. There is no fixed upper limit in this case. However, the referee cannot reduce the added time once they have communicated it to the fourth official. Once set, players must comply with whatever added time has been decided.
If the referee makes a timing error when adding on injury time in the first half, they may not compensate for this by extending the added time in the second half. If this happens, the time would simply be lost. Added time is also allowed at the end of each half when extra time is played (note: added time and extra time are different things in soccer).
What’s the record for the longest added time in the Bundesliga?
In 2017, the match between Cologne and Hamburg saw 13 minutes added on at the end of the second half. Curiously, however, this wasn’t due to actions by either of the teams, but rather a calf injury to the referee. Despite being treated in the changing rooms for around 10 minutes, he was unable to continue and the fourth official had to take his place for the remainder of the game.
Minutes after play had resumed, however, the new referee sent off Hamburg defender Mergim Mavraj. This extended the injury time even further at the end of the game, and it was during this period that Cologne scored their only goal of the game. This was not without reply, though, as Hamburg then sealed the win with their third goal - in the 100th minute.
What’s the record for the longest added time ever in soccer?
The longest injury time in soccer history came during an amateur league game between Dostlukspor Bottrop and BW Wesel in the German Bezirksliga. The referee awarded 28 minutes of added time, justifying this by claiming that both teams had delayed the game significantly during the match.
Injury time records at the 2022 World Cup
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar set several records for added time. Here are just a few of the examples from the tournament:
- England vs Iran (Group B): 27 minutes
- USA vs Wales (Group B): 11 minutes
- Argentina vs Saudi Arabia (Group C): 14 minutes
- Poland vs Mexico (Group C): 8 minutes
Did you know?
After only the first five matches of the 2022 World Cup, the entire amount of injury time totaled nearly 70 minutes.
So, why was there so much added time in this World Cup? According to FIFA’s Chairman of the Referees Committee Pierluigi Collina, “fans don’t want to pay to watch a 43-minute match”. He added that people want to watch more soccer actually being played, rather than the stoppages in play.
The idea at the Qatar World Cup, then, was to increase actual playing time and ensure delays were compensated for. These included any of the following stoppages:
- Goal celebrations
- Substitutions
- Sending offs
- On-pitch debates
- VAR reviews
- Injuries
Could we see longer injury times in other leagues too?
Since the 2022 World Cup ended, many national soccer leagues around the world have been debating whether to follow this example. Former Bundesliga referee Knut Kircher believes that longer added time could soon become the norm in German soccer, while the English Premier League are also considering a similar approach.
Why was added time invented in soccer?
Adding time on at the end to make up for stoppages in play seems logical, but it was by no means an original part of soccer. Just like with many fundamental rules of the game, added time was introduced after a specific incident between two English teams.
In September 1981, Aston Villa were leading Stoke City 1-0 when Stoke were awarded a penalty kick with two minutes left to play. Villa’s goalkeeper, being the cunning and unsporting man that he was, booted the ball out of the stadium before the penalty could be taken. Although the Stoke players ran to get the ball, the remaining two minutes of the game elapsed before they could bring it back. In the aftermath of this ingeniously devious incident, added time was invented.
