How a Football Match Is Timed and Decided
Football scoring is the simplest in sport — one goal, one point. What is not simple is what happens when neither side scores more than the other.
The ninety minutes
Two halves of 45 minutes, with the clock never stopping. Time lost to injuries, substitutions and celebrations is added at the end of each half as stoppage time, announced by the fourth official as a minimum rather than an exact figure.
When the score is level
- League match — the game ends a draw, one point each.
- Knockout tie — 30 minutes of extra time in two halves of 15.
- Still level — a penalty shootout, five kicks each, then sudden death.
The shootout
A shootout is not counted as goals. The match is officially recorded as a draw, and the shootout only decides who progresses — which is why a 1–1 draw settled on penalties still appears as 1–1 in the record books.
Frequently asked questions
UEFA abolished it in 2021. Two-legged ties level on aggregate now go straight to extra time and penalties.
In a shootout, only players on the pitch at the final whistle may take a kick. If one cannot continue, the team simply takes with fewer players and both sides are reduced to match.