Ninety minutes, with a little more to come
A standard adult football (soccer) match has two 45-minute halves: 90 minutes of regulation time, plus added time for stoppages. The half-time break is separate and must not exceed 15 minutes. Shorter playing periods can be agreed beforehand where competition rules allow.
So “90 minutes” is not a promise that you will be back in the kitchen exactly an hour and a half after kick-off.
The clock keeps going; lost time is allowed for
The referee allows time in each half for delays such as injuries, substitutions, goal celebrations and video reviews. IFAB Law 7 sets out the rule.
That allowance is often called stoppage time or added time. It accounts for time lost during the half.
What does +5 actually mean?
The board shows the minimum additional time. The referee can increase it, but cannot reduce it.
Imagine the board shows +5 at 90 minutes. You can expect at least five more minutes. If another delay follows, the whistle need not arrive at exactly 95:00. The board is not a countdown alarm.
Added time is not extra time
Extra time is a separate way to settle a drawn match when competition rules require a winner. IFAB Law 10 permits two equal periods of up to 15 minutes each. A competition may instead use a penalty shoot-out; that happens after the match has ended.
Not every draw gets extra time. Check the competition’s format. For another match-day mystery, read our simple guide to offside.