How Long is Halftime?
"Halftime" means very different things depending on the sport. Here's how the break — and the whole game — compares across soccer and American football, so you know exactly how much time you've got.
Soccer: up to 15 minutes
In soccer (association football), halftime lasts a maximum of 15 minutes under the IFAB Laws of the Game. That's true for the World Cup, the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, the Champions League, and essentially every professional competition. The referee controls the exact length, so it can end a little early.
Want to know exactly when play resumes for a match on a break right now? That's what this site does — see the live halftime countdown for today's fixtures.
NFL: 12 minutes
A standard NFL halftime is 12 minutes — slightly shorter than soccer's break. Teams head to the locker room to regroup before the third quarter kicks off.
Super Bowl: 20–30+ minutes
The Super Bowl is the exception. Its halftime stretches to roughly 20 to 30+ minutes to fit the famous Super Bowl Halftime Show, including stage build and teardown — far longer than a regular-season 12-minute break.
How long is a football game?
A soccer match is two 45-minute halves (90 minutes of play) plus stoppage time and the 15-minute break — about 2 hours in real time.
An NFL game runs four 15-minute quarters (60 minutes on the game clock) but takes roughly 3 to 3.5 hours in real time once you add stoppages, timeouts, and halftime.
Halftime length — frequently asked questions
- How long is halftime in soccer?
- Halftime in soccer (association football) lasts a maximum of 15 minutes under the IFAB Laws of the Game. This applies to the World Cup, the Premier League, La Liga, and virtually every professional competition. The referee controls the exact length, so it can be slightly shorter.
- How long is NFL halftime?
- A standard NFL halftime is 12 minutes. It gives teams time to regroup in the locker room before the third quarter. This is shorter than soccer's 15-minute break.
- How long is Super Bowl halftime?
- Super Bowl halftime is much longer than a regular NFL game — typically around 20 to 30+ minutes — to make room for the Super Bowl Halftime Show performance and stage setup.
- How long is a football game?
- A soccer match is two 45-minute halves (90 minutes) plus stoppage time and the 15-minute break, so about 2 hours in real time. An NFL game has four 15-minute quarters (60 minutes of game clock) but runs roughly 3 to 3.5 hours in real time with stoppages, timeouts, and halftime.