The 2022 Qatar World Cup final is upon us and will attract millions of casual fans. So, some may wonder, ‘does soccer have half time’, and, ‘how long is the interval’, under FIFA rules?
Well, football’s international governing body does not actually set the rules of play for the beautiful game. Instead, it is the role of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to give the Laws of the Game. It is an independent body that standardises laws worldwide.
IFAB was founded back in 1886 to act as the guardians of the Laws of the Game and create a standardised rulebook. FIFA was not formed until 1904 and recognises IFAB’s jurisdiction on rules. But FIFA, acting for 207 of the national associations, has a 50% vote on changes.
Does soccer have half time and how long is it?
Simply put, yes, soccer does have a half time break and it lasts 15 minutes. IFAB details the conditions for the interval in Law 7 – Rule 2 of the 2022/23 edition of its Laws of the Game.
A half time break cannot exceed 15 minutes and must take place at the midway point of a match. The referee in charge of the fixture can reduce the time given if requested and if it remains within the stated competition rules. But most tournaments mandate 15 minutes.
At tournaments like the World Cup after the group stage, where draws are possible, there is also an additional break before extra time and a half time interval. But IFAB laws permit referees to give both teams just one minute for a drinks break as a half time in extra time.
IFAB rules permit additional intervals under certain conditions
IFAB rules also permit referees to temporarily pause games outside of half time to have a drinks or cooling break. But the officials are only allowed to if a competition’s designated rulebook states their usage. This is listed under Law 7 – Rule 3: ‘Allowance For Time Lost’.
A drinks or cooling break is defined as a medical stoppage for players’ welfare in certain conditions. Referees are allowed to pause games for no more than 60 seconds for a drinks break. While a cooling break is no less than 90 seconds but cannot exceed three minutes.
The referee is in charge of determining if either a drinks or colling break is required in the match. But they must still adhere to IFAB’s regulations on the matter, with a cooling break used in certain weather conditions (high humidity or temperature) to let body temps cool.
A cooling break is different from a drinks break as the latter is a shorter stoppage for the players to rehydrate. Managers of the competing teams may also try to use the stoppages to issue instructions to their players, which is allowed if within the designated time frames.
So, yes, football or soccer does have a half time which is 15 minutes long under IFAB rules. But the beautiful game also permits referees to momentarily pause matches under certain conditions to ensure the welfare of the players featuring is considered when also needed.
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