How many minutes can a child play football?
Players are allowed to play in multiple matches, but their game time must not exceed 40 minutes on any one day for Under 7s and Under 8s and 60 minutes for Under 9s and Under 10s. In terms of the size of teams, Under 7s begin with five versus five. Under 8s, Under 9s and Under 10s increase to seven-a-side.
The aim of football is to score more goals then your opponent in a 90 minute playing time frame. The match is split up into two halves of 45 minutes. After the first 45 minutes players will take a 15 minute rest period called half time.
A match lasts for two equal halves of 45 minutes which may only be reduced if agreed between the referee and the two teams before the start of the match and is in accordance with competition rules.
Instead, the length of an U7 or U8 football match is decided by the league or competition, the only regulation in place stating that it must be within the maximum length of 40 minutes per match. These games are played in two halves, and each half is also held to a maximum duration of 20 minutes.
You can expect a youth football game to last between an hour and an hour and a half. Typically, they consist of four 8-minute quarters separated with a 10-minute halftime. Some advanced youth leagues may use 10-minute quarters. There is usually a very short break in between the quarters that may last a minute or two.
Kids Below 9 (Under 9s)
The suggested number of the training sessions is also once a week in this age group too, but you can increase the period of the training session. Make it around 60 minutes per session.
Between 10% and 40% of football injuries among children and adolescents are from playing too much. Players under 14 incur more training injuries than older players and they develop growth-related disorders linked to overplaying because their skeletons and tissue are still growing.
If a match ends in a draw after 90 minutes – two halves of 45 minutes plus stoppage time (added time to compensate for time lost to injuries and other interruptions) – the game goes into extra time. The match is extended by 30 minutes, divided into two 15-minute periods with a short break in between.
1. The format is seven-a-side for Under 9's and 10's and five-a-side for Under 7's and 8's. 2. Matches will be of 15 minutes each wayfor under 9's and 10's and 10 minutes each way for under 8's and 7's.
- Teams will be told which way they are kicking at start of game.
- Teams cannot score directly from a kick off.
- There is no offside.
- All free kicks and corners are direct and opposition must be 3 metres away.
- Goal kicks to be taken anywhere inside penalty area.
How many minutes is extra time in football?
In association football knockout competitions or competition stages, teams play an extra 30 minutes, called extra time, when the deciding leg (or replay of a tie) has not produced a winner by the end of normal or full-time.
1. The format is seven-a-side for Under 9's and 10's and five-a-side for Under 7's and 8's. 2. Matches will be of 15 minutes each wayfor under 9's and 10's and 10 minutes each way for under 8's and 7's.

Why is football played 45 minutes each half? Initially, a football match lasted two hours, with two one-hour halves. When the Football Association was formed in the 1860s and the first official rules of football were established, the FA decided to shorten the match to 90 minutes, played in two 45-minute halves.
Put clear limits on your child's gaming.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests time allotted should be under 30 to 60 minutes per day on school days and 2 hours or less on non- school days.
How long can kids train? As a general rule, children shouldn't train for more than 18-20 hours a week. If a child is engaged in elite competition there may be pressures to train for longer - especially in the lead-up to a major event.
Some leagues play with 8 players for youth aged ten and under. And down to 6 per side for the under 5's.
Age Group | Game Length | Size |
---|---|---|
Under-15 | Two 40′ halves | #5 |
Under-14 | Two 35′ halves | #5 |
Under-13 | Two 35′ halves | #5 |
Under-12 | Two 30′ halves | #4 |
Soccer games include two 45-minute halves, which is 90 minutes of play. Like many sports, those who have ever watched a game know that real-time is longer than the match time.
Each league/competition will determine its own playing time with the maximum time permitted, however, the maximum duration will be two halves of 30 minutes. It is permitted during development matches that the periods of play can be split into equal quarters. The half time interval must not exceed 15 minutes.
11 V 11 MATCH RULES
Two x 35 minute games at 13 and 14 years. Two x 40 minute games at 15 and 16 years. Two x 45 minute games at 17 and above.
How long is an under 14 football match?
For Youth football – The duration of play shall be as follows unless it is mutually agreed by all parties to reduce the time. For under 11 and under 12, 30 minutes each half; for under 13, 14, 35 minutes each half and under15 and under 16, 40 minutes each half; under 17 and under 18, 45 minutes each half.
More Television Timeouts
Inevitably, breaks after touchdowns or field goals stretch to two or three minutes. Add that up, and that's 13 minutes a quarter and almost an hour of game delays for TV timeouts. As just about every game is televised in some form these days, they all have TV timeouts and run longer.
Bottom line: 30 to 60 minutes of outdoor play time per day but even 10 minute “chunks” are a good idea. Vist NWF's Be Out There – Green Hour Activities Page for terrific outdoor time ideas for kids and families!
7-year-olds and under
Look for “fun runs” or races between 1 and 2 miles or a 100-yard dash. These should be short runs, not long or extended. Training for this age group should be around one or two days a week. Race time should not be important to this age group.
Let's start with understanding the developmentally appropriate expectations for a child to play independently. Many children between the ages of 2-4 are able to keep their attention on a task for up to a half-hour. Kids between 5-7 can often focus longer, up to an hour or more on their own.
As a general rule, children shouldn't train for more than 18-20 hours a week. If a child is engaged in elite competition there may be pressures to train for longer – especially in the lead-up to a major event.
For example: “A 12-year-old athlete should not participate in more than 12 hours per week of organized sport.” Young athletes should take a minimum of two days off per week from organized training and competition for rest and recovery.
As a rule, experts say that children should play or practice organized sports no more than one hour per week for every year of age. For example, a 7-year-old ice hockey player should be on the ice no more than seven hours per week.
Yes, California law requires that employers pay overtime, whether authorized or not, at the rate of one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of eight up to and including 12 hours in any workday, and for the first eight hours of work on the seventh consecutive day of work ...
Unless exempt, employees covered by the Act must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rates of pay.
Why is extra time 30 minutes?
30 Minutes Became The Norm
If things still couldn't be decided after that then a replay would be in order and if another 120 minutes was unable to separate the two teams then a match would be decided by the fortune of a coin toss.
An NFL game is scheduled to take place over 60 minutes. These 60 minutes are then broken into four 15-minute quarters. However, if both teams are tied at the end of 60 minutes, they then go into overtime to determine an outright winner.
Maximum Permitted Formats: A player aged 7 may play 7v7 if playing up at U9 level - but 7v7 is not permitted for 7 year olds in general; a player aged 9 may play 9v9 if playing up at U11 level - but 9v9 is not permitted for 9 year olds in general; a player aged 11 may play 11v11 if playing up at U13 level - but 11v11 ...
8 Duration of matches should be 15 minutes each way. No player shall play more than 60 minutes per day. 9 The kick off is taken in the centre of the playing area to start the game and after a goal has been scored. In mini soccer you cannot score directly from a kick off or a drop ball situation.
If either team scores a goal during extra time, the game ends immediately and the scoring team becomes the winner. The winning goal is known as the "golden goal". If there have been no goals scored after both periods of extra time, a penalty shoot-out decides the game.
- Passing and receiving.
- Shooting.
- Decision making.
- Dribbling.
- Heading.
- Touch and ball control.
- Skills and tricks.
- Running off the ball.
Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.
Extra time comes after the full-time whistle, after the 90 minutes have elapsed. Extra time is made up of two 15 minute halves that are separated by half-time. This break usually only lasts one minute and allows the teams to change ends and take on fluids.
If extra time is required, there is a five-minute break between the end of normal time and the start of extra time. As a rule, the players remain on the field of play during this five-minute break, at the discretion of the referee.
The 24-hour rule is simple: If you have a problem with the coach after a game, wait 24 hours before talking to them.
How long do under 9s play for?
b) Under 9's can play in a maximum of three trophy events during the season, lasting a maximum of four weeks each. These are short-term experiences helping children learn about winning and losing in an appropriate environment.
In any one day, no player shall play more than 40 minutes. It is the responsibility of the parent/carer or organisation to ensure the child does not exceed this. Each league/competition will determine its own playing time within the maximum time permitted however the maximum duration will be two halves of 20 minutes.
The EFL are considering lifting the blackout rule, which bans football matches from being televised at 3pm on a Saturday, as part of upcoming negotiations over their broadcast rights.
In Summary. A standard football match is 90 minutes made up of two 45-minute halves. In the middle of the game, there is a 15-minute break known as 'half-time'.
What is the '3pm' football blackout? The football blackout is the rule that no Premier League, Football League or FA Cup matches be broadcast on live television on Saturday between 2:45pm and 5:15pm.
3 to 5-year-olds need 10.5-11.5 hours. 6 to 7-year-olds need about 10.5 hours. 7 to 13-year-olds need about 10 hours. Even 18-year-olds need about 9 hours of sleep each night.
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages media use by children younger than 2 and recommends limiting older children's screen time to no more than one or two hours a day.
For children/young people aged 5-17 years**, limit sedentary recreational screen time to no more than 2 hours per day.
Being physically active is not only good for your child's physical development, it might also help with their learning at school, and their emotional health. Children aged 5 to 12 years need to do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.
AGE GROUP | LENGTH OF PRACTICE | HOW MANY PER WEEK |
---|---|---|
2 Year Olds | 20 Minutes | 1-2 Times Each Week |
3 Year Old | 30 Minutes | 1-2 Times Each Week |
4-5 Year Olds | 30-40 Minutes | Twice Each Week |
6-7 Year Olds | 35-45 Minutes | Twice Each Week |
How much should a 12 year old train for soccer?
Starting at around the U12 age group, a good rule of thumb is 30 minutes of individual training, 5 days per week. Individual training should involve: Foot Skills. Passing and Receiving.
45 min. As the kids get older, with each step upward in an age group, each half of a soccer game only lengthens by 5 minutes. The overall time increases by 10 minutes and this difference means a significant more amount of physical effort is put forth by the player.
14 – The Brains
The fourteen is a class player, most often in the midfield and usually one that gets by with brains rather than brawn. The 14 number became famous because of Johan Cruyff, the embodiment of total football. He switched to it in 1970, previously he had been 9.
Ages 3 to 6: A Good Starting Age for Kids Soccer
This is still a somewhat young age to expect a serious level of athletic development, but the other benefits that come along with getting involved in soccer can definitely be of value to a young kid .
Duration of Games: Four 8-10 minute quarters (3 mins. rest between quarters, 6 minute break at the half). Objective: To get the ball into the opponent's goal.
2. The game will consist of four eight-minute quarters with a two minute break in between quarters and a five minute half time.
LAW 7 DURATION OF GAME • The match is divided into two (2) equal halves of thirty (30) minutes each. There shall be a half-time interval of five (5) minutes. Teams will switch ends of the field at half time.
U11 - 9 players on the field, squad of 14 max; 25 minute halves, with 5 minute half time. U13 - 11 players on the field, squad of 16 max; 30 minute halves, with 10 minute half time.
Age Group | Game Length | Number of Players |
---|---|---|
9U-10U | 2, 25 minute halves | 7 v 7 |
11U-12U | 2, 30 minute halves | 9 v 9 |
13U-14U | 2, 35 minute halves | 11 v 11 |
15U-16U | 2, 40 minute halves | 11 v 11 |
Age | Format | Maximum Playing Time In Any One Day |
---|---|---|
Under 8 | 5-a-side | 40 mins |
Under 9 | 7-a-side | 60 mins |
Under 10 | 7-a-side | 60 mins |
Under 11 | 9-a-side | 100 mins |
How long is a under 9 football match?
Match length
In 7-a-side football, matches are played in two halves, both of which last 25 minutes. This is an increase of 5 minutes per half from U7/8 soccer, but even with that small increase, young players are protected by the additional rule that they may not play for more than 60 minutes on any given day.
When your team reaches U13, they move to "proper" 11 a side football. The first time you see your 12 year old goalkeeper standing in a full size goal, the idea of playing matches on pitches almost as big as those professional footballers play on seems totally absurd.
A penalty kick is awarded if a player commits a direct free kick offence inside their penalty area or off the field as part of play as outlined in Laws 12 and 13. A goal may be scored directly from a penalty kick.
Why is football played 45 minutes each half? Initially, a football match lasted two hours, with two one-hour halves. When the Football Association was formed in the 1860s and the first official rules of football were established, the FA decided to shorten the match to 90 minutes, played in two 45-minute halves.
A match lasts for two equal halves of 45 minutes which may only be reduced if agreed between the referee and the two teams before the start of the match and is in accordance with competition rules.
Dorsett's 99-yard rush for the Dallas Cowboys against the Minnesota Vikings stood alone for 36 years until Henry of the Tennessee Titans decided to take the soul of a few Jacksonville Jaguars defenders on the way to the end zone.
The shortest NFL game of all-time took place in 1996 between the San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts and it lasted just two hours and 29 minutes. The Chargers defeated the Colts, 26-19, in what is also the highest-scoring of the shortest NFL games.
To benefit their health, children over 5 years of age should be physically active for at least 60 minutes every day. It doesn't need to be a structured sport, anything that gets them up and moving will help. Fewer than 1 out of 4 children aged 5 to 14 years get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
U8 players have 40 minute soccer games.
For Youth football – The duration of play shall be as follows unless it is mutually agreed by all parties to reduce the time. For under 11 and under 12, 30 minutes each half; for under 13, 14, 35 minutes each half and under15 and under 16, 40 minutes each half; under 17 and under 18, 45 minutes each half.
How much play time does a child need?
The amount of physical activity children need depends on their age. Children ages 3 through 5 years need to be active throughout the day. Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 need to be active for 60 minutes every day.
Put clear limits on your child's gaming.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests time allotted should be under 30 to 60 minutes per day on school days and 2 hours or less on non- school days.
Age Group | Game Length | Number of Players |
---|---|---|
Under-14 | Two 35′ halves | |
Under-13 | Two 35′ halves | |
Under-12 | Two 30′ halves | No more than 11, 8 strongly recommended |
Under-11 | Two 30′ halves | No more than 11, 8 strongly recommended |
Bottom line: 30 to 60 minutes of outdoor play time per day but even 10 minute “chunks” are a good idea. Vist NWF's Be Out There – Green Hour Activities Page for terrific outdoor time ideas for kids and families!
The AAP wrote on its website that ideally, at minimum, children should receive 30 minutes of instructor or parent-guided play each day, and at least one hour of unobstructed, uncomplicated free playtime. That is just the minimum amount of time required to show progress in the children.
...
Running Recommendations.
Age | Distance |
---|---|
Under 9 | 1.5 mile |
9-11 | 3.2 miles |
12-14 | 6.4 miles |
15-16 | Half Marathon: 13.1 miles |