Nachspielzeit

Nachspielzeit, in English often called stoppage time or injury time, is the period added to the end of each half of a football match to compensate for time lost due to stoppages such as injuries, substitutions, time-wasting, or other delays. The concept exists to ensure that the effective playing time reflects the time lost during normal play.

Regulation and application: The length of Nachspielzeit is at the discretion of the match referee. The fourth official may indicate the amount of added time to be played, and the referee may also extend the stoppage time if further delays occur during the added period. The clock and the whistle mark the end of the half once the allocated time has elapsed. In practice, the announced duration often ranges from a minute to several minutes, and unusual events or reviews (for example, VAR checks) can increase the total.

Relation to extra time: Nachspielzeit refers to the additional time within regular halves. If a knockout match is still tied after the standard 90 minutes, competition rules may require extra time (Verlängerung), typically two periods of 15 minutes. Only after extra time, if needed, can a match proceed to a deciding procedure such as a penalty shoot-out.

Etymology and usage: The term translates to “time for play after” and is used in German to describe the time added at the end of each half. It is a standard element of football across most leagues and competitions, though the exact amount is not fixed and can vary from game to game.