If you have ever watched a football match and wondered why the referee allows the game to continue after the 45th or 90th minute, the answer is stoppage time. Also called added time or injury time, stoppage time is the additional playing time added at the end of each half to compensate for time lost during the match.
A standard football match consists of two 45-minute halves. However, the ball is not continuously in play for the entire 90 minutes. Injuries, substitutions, goal celebrations, VAR checks, time-wasting and other interruptions can cause the game to stop temporarily. Under Law 7 of the Laws of the Game, the referee adds time for these delays.
How Does Stoppage Time Work?
Stoppage time is calculated by the referee based on the amount of playing time lost during a half. At the end of the 45th or 90th minute, the fourth official usually displays a board showing the minimum amount of additional time that has been decided by the referee.
For example, if the board shows +5 minutes, the referee intends to allow at least five additional minutes. The match does not necessarily end exactly at 95:00. If another significant stoppage occurs during those five minutes, the referee can add further time.
This means the displayed number is a minimum, rather than an exact countdown to the final whistle. The referee has the authority to increase the additional time but cannot reduce the announced amount.
Why Is Stoppage Time Added?
There are several reasons why time may be added to a football match. The main causes include:
1. Injuries
When a player is injured, the referee may stop or delay play while the player receives medical attention or leaves the field. The time lost during the assessment and removal of an injured player can be included in stoppage time.
2. Substitutions
Substitutions take time because the outgoing player must leave the field and the replacement player must enter. Referees account for this lost playing time when determining additional time.
3. Time-Wasting
Players or teams may deliberately or unintentionally delay restarts. Examples include taking too long over free kicks, goal kicks or throw-ins, or delaying other restarts. Time lost through wasting time can be added at the end of the half.
4. VAR Checks and Reviews
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) checks and reviews can interrupt the flow of a match. Because these checks can take several minutes, the referee may include the time lost in the additional time.
5. Goal Celebrations
A goal can result in a significant delay before play restarts. Players may celebrate together, and the referee can account for this lost time when calculating stoppage time.
6. Disciplinary Situations
Time can also be lost when the referee deals with yellow cards, red cards or other disciplinary matters. These delays may contribute to the additional time.
7. Other Delays
The Laws of the Game also allow the referee to account for other significant interruptions, including delays caused by outside interference or other circumstances that prevent a normal restart.
Who Decides Stoppage Time?
The referee is responsible for deciding how much additional time should be played.
The fourth official normally displays the number of additional minutes on the electronic board at the end of each half. However, the referee remains in control of the actual amount of time played.
For example, if the fourth official shows +4 minutes, the referee can allow more than four minutes if another delay occurs during stoppage time. The referee can also end the match once the required additional time has been completed and play has reached a suitable stopping point.
What Does +3, +5 or +8 Mean?
When you see +3, +5, +8 or another number on the fourth official's board, it represents the minimum additional time the referee has decided to play.
For example:
- +3 = At least three minutes of added time
- +5 = At least five minutes of added time
- +8 = At least eight minutes of added time
If the match experiences another significant delay during that period, additional time can be extended.
This is why a match showing five minutes of stoppage time may actually finish several seconds or minutes after the clock reaches 95:00.
Is Stoppage Time the Same as Extra Time?
No. Stoppage time and extra time are different.
Stoppage time is added to the end of each normal 45-minute half because time was lost during that half. It is part of normal match time.
Extra time, on the other hand, is an additional period used in certain knockout competitions when a winner is required after the regular match ends level. It normally consists of two periods of up to 15 minutes each, depending on the competition rules.
For example:
Regular match:
45 minutes + stoppage time
45 minutes + stoppage time
Match with extra time:
90 minutes + stoppage time
- Two extra-time periods
- Any applicable stoppage time during extra time
Therefore, if someone says a match went into "extra time," they are not simply referring to the few minutes added after 90 minutes.
Can a Match End During Stoppage Time?
Yes. A referee can blow the final whistle after the required additional time has been completed.
However, if an event occurs during stoppage time that requires additional time to be added, such as an injury or significant delay, the referee can allow further time.
For example, imagine a match has +5 minutes of stoppage time. At 94:30, a player suffers an injury and treatment takes two minutes. The referee can account for that additional delay before ending the match.
Can a Referee Add More Time Than Shown on the Board?
Yes. The number displayed by the fourth official is the minimum additional time.
If the referee announces five minutes but another significant delay occurs during those five minutes, the referee can extend the match beyond the five-minute mark. The Laws of the Game specifically state that the additional time may be increased by the referee but not reduced.
This is especially important in closely contested matches, where teams and fans often watch the clock carefully during the final minutes.
Why Is Stoppage Time Important?
Stoppage time can have a major impact on the result of a football match.
A team that is leading may need to defend for several additional minutes, while a team that is behind gets more opportunities to attack and score. Some of the most dramatic moments in football happen during added time, including late equalizers, winning goals and last-minute saves.
For this reason, teams cannot simply assume that the match is over when the clock reaches 90 minutes. Players must continue competing until the referee blows the final whistle.
How Much Stoppage Time Can There Be?
There is no fixed number of stoppage-time minutes that must be added to every match.
One match may have only two or three minutes of additional time, while another could have considerably more. The amount depends on how much playing time was lost during the half.
Factors such as multiple injuries, numerous substitutions, lengthy VAR reviews, disciplinary incidents and extended goal celebrations can all contribute to a larger amount of added time.
Stoppage Time in Extra Time
Stoppage time can also be added to extra-time periods.
If a competition uses extra time, the referee can account for time lost during those additional periods as well. Therefore, a match can continue beyond the nominal end of an extra-time period when significant delays have occurred.
Final Thoughts
So, what is stoppage time? In simple terms, stoppage time is the additional playing time added to the end of a football half to compensate for time lost because of interruptions.
It is an important part of football because the clock does not simply stop and restart every time there is an interruption. Instead, the referee keeps track of lost playing time and adds an allowance at the end of the half.
The fourth official displays the minimum additional time, while the referee has the final authority over when the half or match ends. Understanding stoppage time makes it much easier to follow the final stages of football matches and explains why a game can continue after the clock reaches 45 or 90 minutes.