How Many Quarters Are in Soccer? Game Length Explained

If you are wondering how many quarters are in soccer, the answer is none in a standard match. Soccer is played in two halves, not four quarters. Under the official Laws of the Game, each half lasts 45 minutes in a standard adult match, giving 90 minutes of regulation playing time before any added time.

How many quarters are in soccer?

There are no quarters in standard soccer. A regulation match is divided into two equal 45-minute halves with a halftime interval between them. This structure is used in professional and most competitive adult soccer around the world, according to Wikipedia.

Here is the basic match structure:

Part of the match	Standard duration
First half	45 minutes
Halftime	Up to 15 minutes
Second half	45 minutes
Regulation playing time	90 minutes
Added time	Varies

The referee can add time at the end of each half for substitutions, injuries, disciplinary sanctions, goal celebrations, VAR reviews, time-wasting, and other significant delays.

This is different from sports such as American football and basketball, where regulation games are commonly divided into four quarters.

Why soccer uses halves

Soccer’s official match structure is based on two periods of play. Law 7 of the IFAB Laws of the Game states that a match lasts for two equal halves of 45 minutes, although their length can be reduced when permitted by the relevant competition rules.

The two halves are separated by halftime. Players are entitled to this interval, and the standard halftime break cannot exceed 15 minutes. The exact duration is set by the competition rules.

Because soccer uses halves rather than quarters, there is normally only one scheduled halftime interval during regulation play.

How long is a soccer game?

A standard soccer game has 90 minutes of regulation playing time, split into two 45-minute halves. The actual amount of time from kickoff to the final whistle is longer because the clock does not simply end the match at exactly 45 or 90 minutes.

The referee allows additional time for delays during each half, with the traditional 90-minute format incorporating stoppage time, as reported by The Guardian. Common reasons include:

• Player substitutions
• Injuries and medical treatment
• Disciplinary sanctions
• Deliberate time-wasting
• VAR checks and reviews
• Goal celebrations
• Approved drinks or cooling breaks
• Other significant delays

The fourth official indicates the minimum amount of additional time near the end of each half. The referee can increase that amount when further delays occur.

Does youth soccer have quarters?

Youth soccer can use modified match lengths, so parents and new players should check the rules for their particular league or competition.

IFAB permits modifications in youth, veterans, disability, and grassroots soccer. One permitted modification is the duration of the two equal halves.

In the United States, youth soccer also uses several small-sided game formats as players develop. U.S. Soccer has established grassroots models including 4v4, 7v7, 9v9, and 11v11, with standards that can cover factors such as field dimensions, player numbers, and game length.

Local competition rules therefore matter. A youth league may play shorter games than adult soccer even though the standard Laws describe the game in terms of two halves rather than four quarters.

What happens after 90 minutes?

What happens after regulation depends on the competition.

A league match may simply finish as a draw if both teams have scored the same number of goals. In competitions that require a winner, the rules can provide for extra time and a penalty shoot-out.

Extra time can consist of two equal periods of up to 15 minutes each. That means a match using the full permitted extra time can have another 30 minutes of play after regulation.

These periods are still described as periods or halves of extra time, not as third and fourth quarters.

Soccer halves vs quarters

The easiest way to understand the difference is to compare the way a match is divided.

Format	Number of periods	Standard soccer?
Two halves	2	Yes
Four quarters	4	No
Extra-time periods	2 additional periods when required	Some knockout matches

Calling the two halves “quarters” can make the timing confusing. In standard soccer, halftime comes after the first 45-minute period rather than after two quarters.

FAQs

How many periods are in soccer?

A standard soccer match has two periods of regulation play. They are called the first half and second half, and each normally lasts 45 minutes under the IFAB Laws of the Game.

Is soccer played in halves or quarters?

Soccer is played in halves, not quarters. Standard regulation play consists of two equal 45-minute halves separated by a halftime interval of up to 15 minutes.

How many minutes are in a soccer half?

A standard adult soccer half lasts 45 minutes. Added time may extend the half when playing time has been lost because of substitutions, injuries, VAR reviews, celebrations, or other delays.

Is soccer 90 minutes including halftime?

No. The 90 minutes refers to regulation playing time and does not include the halftime interval. A standard match has two 45-minute halves, while halftime can last up to 15 minutes. Added time can make the overall event longer as well.

Conclusion

So, how many quarters are in soccer? Standard soccer has no quarters. It uses two 45-minute halves for 90 minutes of regulation play, with added time and, in certain competitions, extra time possible afterward.