College soccer games are great because they generally last the same amount of time, especially now that the NCAA has removed overtime. How long is a college soccer game, and how long does it take to watch the whole thing?
A college soccer game is 90 minutes long, comprising two 45-minute halves split by a 15-minute halftime. On average, it takes two hours to watch a college soccer game from start to finish, accounting for the 90 minutes of play, halftime, and stoppages throughout the game.
Regular-season college soccer games will always consist of 90 minutes of playtime. Let’s talk more about college soccer timings, including stoppage time rules.
Related: When is College Soccer Season? Fall and Spring Rules
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How long is a college soccer game?
College soccer games last a long time. It wasn’t until recently that the timings were changed. How long is a college soccer game?
A college soccer game is 90 minutes long. The game is split into two 45-minute halves separated by a 15-minute halftime. There is no overtime for regular season games; if the game is tied after 90 minutes of play, it ends in a draw.
Regular-season college soccer games do not go into overtime and are always 90 minutes long for both men’s and women’s teams.
| Period of play | Duration |
|---|---|
| First half | 45 minutes |
| Halftime | 15 minutes |
| Second half | 45 minutes |
| Total | 90 minutes |
In 2022, the NCAA approved a new rule to eliminate overtime unless the game is part of tournament play. Beginning in the 2023 fall season, regular-season matches will no longer go into overtime.
Now, overtime only occurs in conference and NCAA tournament games if it’s tied at full-time.
If a college soccer game goes into overtime, it would function according to the table below. Note that there is an intermission between the end of regular time and the start of overtime.
| Period of play | Duration |
|---|---|
| Intermission between regular time and overtime | 5 minutes |
| First half of OT | 10 minutes |
| Overtime halftime | 2 minutes |
| Second half of OT | 10 minutes |
| Total | 27 minutes |
How long is halftime in college soccer?
College soccer timings are just like the pros, minus the stoppage time. The only official break during a college soccer game is at halftime. How long is the break?
Halftime in college soccer is 15 minutes long. After the first 45 minutes of play, the referee blows their whistle, signaling the break.
The game starts after 15 minutes, and each team must get back onto the field immediately after the break.
If you factor in halftime to how long it takes to watch a soccer game, it goes up to 105 minutes, minimum.
Tournament games can be much longer if they go into overtime or penalty kicks.
Do college soccer games go into overtime?
College soccer games have seen an update in overtime rules. Do college soccer games still go into overtime?
College soccer games do not go into overtime unless they are a tournament match. Regular-season college soccer games end after 90 minutes of play, regardless of the score. Tournament and NCAA postseason games will add two ten-minute overtime periods onto the initial 90 minutes if the game is tied.
If a game is still tied after overtime, penalty kicks will decide the winner.
Related: College (NCAA) Soccer Overtime – Does it Exist?
All games used to go into overtime if they were tied. Likewise, a golden goal rule applied to overtime periods where the first team to score in overtime won.
Not only has the NCAA done away with overtime in regular season games, but it also removed the golden goal rule.
How long is overtime in college soccer?
Overtime in college soccer will only occur in postseason tournaments as of 2023. With that being said, it’s important to know how long overtime will be if it does occur.
Overtime in college soccer is 20 minutes long, comprising two ten-minute halves with a short, two-minute intermission between each half. The 20 minutes are played to completion without a golden goal rule. Starting in the 2023 season, college soccer overtime only occurs during postseason matches.
There is a five-minute intermission between the end of regulation time and the beginning of overtime.
In the event that the game is still tied after overtime ends, penalty kicks decide a winner.
How long does a college soccer game last?
A college soccer game is 90 minutes, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be on your way out of the stadium after an hour and a half. How long does it take to watch one?
On average, a college soccer game lasts two hours or 120 minutes. This accounts for the two 45-minute halves, the 15-minute halftime, and any stoppages in play throughout the game.
It’s unlikely a game will last longer than two hours. Some games last longer or shorter; it just depends on the flow of the game and if there are a lot of stoppages.
If a college soccer tournament game goes into overtime, it will last about 25 minutes longer, accounting for the two 10-minute overtime halves and any stoppages.
Likewise, delays from inclement weather can also extend the time it takes to watch a full game.
Is there stoppage time in college soccer?
College soccer is a bit different with stoppage time compared to professional leagues. Is time given back for stopping play in college?
There is no stoppage time in college soccer. That means the clock stops whenever the referee blows their whistle. The clock resumes when the referee resumes the game. When there are zero seconds left on the clock, the game is stopped.
Unlike professional leagues, there isn’t stoppage time in college soccer.
There are not enough match officials to coordinate time lost due to stoppages; therefore, the scoreboard operators must stop the clock at the center referee’s signal.
The referee stops the clock for cautions, injuries, and free kicks.