A football match is played in two equal halves of how many minutes each?

Under the Laws of the Game, a standard football match lasts 90 minutes, divided into two equal halves of 45 minutes each. The half-time interval must not be more than 15 minutes.

Additional time and extra time:

At the end of each half, the referee may add "additional time" (often called stoppage time or injury time) to make up for time lost due to substitutions, injuries, time-wasting, goal celebrations, VAR checks and other delays. The fourth official shows the minimum added time on a board.

In knockout matches, if the score is level after 90 minutes, two periods of extra time of 15 minutes each are played.

If the score is still level, the match is decided by a penalty shoot-out (kicks from the penalty mark), with five kicks per team and then "sudden death".

The "golden goal" and "silver goal" methods used in the 1990s and early 2000s have been abolished.

Other basic rules of football:

Each team has 11 players, including one goalkeeper. A match cannot begin or continue if either team has fewer than 7 players.

In most competitive matches, up to five substitutions are allowed (a rule made permanent in 2022), plus extra concussion substitutes in some competitions.

A yellow card is a caution; two yellow cards or a straight red card lead to a sending-off.

The ball's circumference is 68-70 cm and its weight 410-450 g.

The Laws of the Game are set by the International Football Association Board (IFAB).

Match durations in other sports:

• Hockey: 60 minutes (4 x 15).
• Basketball (FIBA): 40 minutes (4 x 10).
• Rugby union: 80 minutes (2 x 40).
• Kabaddi (men): 40 minutes (2 x 20).
• Handball: 60 minutes (2 x 30).

Why not the other options?

• ✗35 minutes was the length of each half in old-format hockey matches.
• ✗40 minutes is the length of each half in rugby union.
• ✗50 minutes is not a standard half in football.