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Stoppage time completes a half; extra time breaks a tie
Stoppage time, also called added time or injury time, compensates for time lost in the current half. It can be played after minute 45 or 90, regardless of whether the score is level. Extra time is a separate set of periods played after regulation when a winner is needed and the competition rules prescribe it. A goal at 90+5 is scored in second-half stoppage time, not in extra time.
Regulation normally consists of two 45-minute halves under the IFAB Laws. The end of the second half includes its added time, so the clock reaching 90:00 does not by itself end regulation.
What the added-time board actually means
Near the end of a half, the fourth official shows the referee’s minimum allowance for time lost. The allowance can increase but cannot be cut below the indicated minimum. Substitutions, injury treatment, delays in restarting, goal celebrations, and VAR checks are among the events that can contribute.
For example, suppose the board shows five minutes and play stops for a substantial injury at 90+3. The referee can extend the half beyond 90+5 to account for the new stoppage. The board is not a promise that the final whistle will come at a particular second. Also, the referee does not make up a first-half timekeeping error by lengthening the second half.
A match timeline: 90+5, extra time, then penalties
Imagine a knockout match whose rules require extra time if regulation finishes level. Team A equalizes at 90+5. When the referee ends regulation, the score is 1–1. Extra time then starts. If Team B scores during the second extra-time period and the match finishes 2–1, it wins without a shoot-out. If the game stays 1–1, the rules may call for penalties. Shoot-out kicks decide the winner but are recorded separately from match goals.
| Phase | Why it happens | Effect on match score |
|---|---|---|
| Stoppage time | To allow for time lost in that half | Goals count in that half |
| Extra time | When the rules prescribe further play to determine a winner | Goals count in the match |
| Penalty shoot-out | When the rules require a winner and call for penalties after play ends | Kicks are recorded separately |
Does every drawn match go to extra time?
No. A league match can finish as a draw. A knockout competition may require extra time, but its rules can also prescribe a shoot-out without extra time. A two-leg tie may be decided by the aggregate score rather than by the score in one game. Check the rules for the specific competition, season, and stage rather than assuming every draw triggers another 30 minutes.
IFAB Law 10 permits two equal periods of extra time of up to 15 minutes each, when that method is used. Two 15-minute periods are familiar, but the duration is not universally fixed at exactly 30 minutes. Time lost during an extra-time half can also be added to that half. The fact that the match is already in extra time does not prevent the referee from allowing stoppage time there.
Frequently asked questions
Is injury time different from stoppage time?
Not in ordinary football usage. Injury time is a common name for added or stoppage time, even though injuries are only one reason for it.
Is a goal at 90+5 an extra-time goal?
No. It is a goal in the added time of the second regulation half. Extra time begins only after regulation ends and only when the rules prescribe it.
Can the referee play longer than the amount on the board?
Yes. The announced figure is a minimum. Further delays can lead the referee to add more.
Can there be added time after 120 minutes?
Yes, when a competition uses two 15-minute extra-time periods and time was lost in the second one. That is added time within extra time, not another extra-time period.
Sources and scope
The timelines are fictional. The Laws define the general framework; the competition’s own rules determine how a specific match or tie is decided.
- IFAB Law 7: The Duration of the Match: Regular halves, lost-time allowances, and the fourth official’s minimum.
- IFAB Law 10: The Outcome of a Match: Draws, permitted tiebreak methods, and penalty shoot-outs.
- IFAB football glossary: Terminology for additional time and competition-related concepts.