It doesn’t get much bigger than the World Cup.
Soccer’s grandest competition draws plenty of eyes across the globe, with everyone hoping to catch a glimpse of one of sports’ most memorable events. This year has been no exception, with hundreds of millions tuning in to catch the action as it unfolds in Qatar.
It’s been a famous World Cup, one filled to the brim with momentous upsets, Cinderella runs, top-tier goals and, perhaps most importantly, superstars competing at the peak of their powers.
As the iconic tournament reaches its conclusion, it’s easy to get lost in all the hoopla. There’s a whole lot of glitz and a whole lot of glamor attached to the spectacle that is the World Cup. But at the end of the day, it’s all about the soccer. Within those lines, anything goes. That’s what gets the real attention.
Speaking of the game, just how long is it? It’s easy to lose track of, especially as matches descend into shocking levels of dysfunction (we’re looking at you, Argentina vs. Netherlands).
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With that, here’s everything you need to know about match length in the World Cup.
How many minutes in a soccer match at the World Cup?
As is the case in domestic competition, each match at the World Cup lasts a cool 90 minutes.
An hour and a half gives teams plenty of time to attack one another and the goal, one curling effort at a time.
Each game is split into two 45 minute halves. Who doesn’t love symmetry?
How does stoppage time work?
Stoppage time refers to the time the referee tacks on at the end of each half to make up for time lost earlier in a half due to things like injury treatment or video reviews.
So, if play is stopped for, say, five minutes due to a player receiving injury treatment, the referee would then add five minutes of stoppage time after the clock hits 45 minutes.
MORE: What to know about World Cup final referee Szymon Marciniak
Are there ties in World Cup?
Nothing grinds Americans’ gears more than ties. Nevertheless, the zero-sum nature of American sports doesn’t always mix too well with the more egalitarian spoils sometimes enjoyed in the game of soccer.
The draw is a part of the World Cup, particularly in the group stages. Remember when Americans thought the USMNT were headed for World Cup glory after snagging a point against a dull England side earlier in the competition?
Nevertheless, in the knockout stages, draws won’t cut it anymore. Instead, games that end deadlocked go into extra time and, potentially, a drama-filled penalty shootout, the type of event that truly holds your breath hostage.
On one hand, it’s quite nerve-wracking. On the other, it makes for plenty of entertainment — and ensures that there is one winner and one loser in each knockout stage match. Just like Americans like it.
How does overtime work in soccer?
Once games hit the knockout stage, they have to be decided one way or another. The first way affairs can be handled is through extra time, two 15-minute halves that serve as soccer’s play on overtime.
MORE: What to know about World Cup overtime rules
It’s not sudden death; think more NBA than NFL or NHL. Whoever has the lead after the 30 minutes of extra time is declared the winner.
If both teams remain tied after extra time, the game will be sent to the spirit-breaking crapshoot that is the penalty shootout. It’s not for the faint of heart.