# Soccer: is there ever no extra time added? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 12, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968 "2012-06-12T22:46:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968/1 "2012-06-12T22:46:42Z")
(note: this is not one of the innumerable complaints about soccer’s timing system. I understand why it’s used and why it works for the sport) Have there ever been situations where a soccer half has run so smoothly, no delays, no excessive celebrations, no funny business, that the referee has felt that no extra time was needed and the 45 minute half was enough - or is it just accepted that there’s going to be some delays in any given half of soccer that there’s at least a token minute always added? ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968/2 "2012-06-12T22:50:22Z")
Can’t cite, but yes, this does happen and has happened in games I’ve watched. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968/3 "2012-06-12T23:33:03Z")
It’s common for first halves to have no added time, largely because there usually aren’t any substitutions in the first half. There are almost always substitutions in the second half, and therefore there is almost always added time (as well as time added for other stoppages). ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968/4 "2012-06-13T01:08:26Z")
I’ve seen a couple of games that were so one-sided the ref just blew at 90 mins as an act of mercy, even though strictly speaking there should have been added time. Can’t specify a particular game, but I’ve seen cases where the score is, say, 6-1 at 90 mins, there’s no chance the result will change, and the losing team just obviously wants it over and to get the hell off the pitch. I suppose refs would not be inclined to do this if goal difference might be an issue to the losing side. ---
**Author:** ![JessMagic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@JessMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessMagic)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968/5 "2012-06-13T07:40:31Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > I’ve seen a couple of games that were so one-sided the ref just blew at 90 mins as an act of mercy, even though strictly speaking there should have been added time. > > Can’t specify a particular game, but I’ve seen cases where the score is, say, 6-1 at 90 mins, there’s no chance the result will change, and the losing team just obviously wants it over and to get the hell off the pitch. I suppose refs would not be inclined to do this if goal difference might be an issue to the losing side. I’m pretty sure this happened in the Scottish Cup Final this year (the score was Hearts 5 Hibs 1). No complaints from either side! ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968/6 "2012-06-13T10:53:26Z")
I’ve noticed in a couple of matches at Euro 2012 that the ref blew for full time before the supposed “minimum” time shown on the board. I can’t remember which match it was, but one ended almost 20 seconds before time. The game was still up for grabs, too, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968/7 "2012-06-13T13:03:21Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > (note: this is not one of the innumerable complaints about soccer’s timing system. I understand why it’s used and why it works for the sport) > > Have there ever been situations where a soccer half has run so smoothly, no delays, no excessive celebrations, no funny business, that the referee has felt that no extra time was needed and the 45 minute half was enough - or is it just accepted that there’s going to be some delays in any given half of soccer that there’s at least a token minute always added? Yes. However, in play off time, you will see Refs be more forgiving. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968/8 "2012-06-13T13:29:10Z")
> [@JessMagic](#): > > I’m pretty sure this happened in the Scottish Cup Final this year (the score was Hearts 5 Hibs 1). > > No complaints from either side! Didn’t see the game this year, but it doesn’t surprise me. Always good to see people with Scottish football usernames on the SDMB, heh. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-is-there-ever-no-extra-time-added/624968/9 "2012-06-13T13:33:59Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I’ve noticed in a couple of matches at Euro 2012 that the ref blew for full time before the supposed “minimum” time shown on the board. I can’t remember which match it was, but one ended almost 20 seconds before time. The game was still up for grabs, too, IIRC. I wonder if they are supposed to play to the exact minute, or the signalled time is merely rounded to the nearest minute and the ref has a more precise amount of time in mind? Take substitutions - I believe the guideline is 30 seconds per substitution. If there had been three substitutions and no other significant stoppages, that would be 1:30, but the man with the board always signals an exact number of minutes.