A total of 14 minutes was added to the game time during Saturday’s League Two fixture between Stockport and Gillingham.
Supporters may have to rethink their travel plans and reschedule post-match events considering the extended duration of matches, based on the opening weekend of EFL football. It appears that games are set to extend longer than usual.
The initial 2023-24 English Football League schedule was the first to experience this change. All 35 matches involved at least eight extra minutes of play, and numerous games that kicked off at 15:00 on Saturday didn’t end until well after 17:00.
Referees are being instructed to add the precise time taken for specific incidents – such as goals and substitutions – rather than the estimated amount used before.
The second half of Stoke’s 4-1 Championship victory over Rotherham began at 16:13, largely due to the host team scoring two goals in the extra time of the first half.
Presenter Mark Chapman announced on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Around the Grounds that the Sports Report, a 75-year tradition that always starts at 17:00, might begin around a quarter past five this season.
At Sixfields, spectators watching Northampton versus Stevenage, two teams recently promoted to League One, witnessed an astounding 22 minutes and 36 seconds of extra time, including eight minutes in the first half and over 14 in the second. Borough emerged victorious with a 1-0 win.
The briefest match of the first 35 games of the season was Middlesbrough’s 1-0 loss to Millwall at Riverside in the Championship, which had only eight minutes and 45 seconds of extra time.
Bristol City versus Preston was the only other game to finish under 100 minutes, with a total of nine minutes and 55 seconds of extra time.
Adam Idah scored a last-minute goal for Norwich in the 96th minute on Saturday.
Added time inevitably leads to more exciting moments. Norwich overturned a 1-0 deficit against Hull in the Championship to clinch a 2-1 victory, thanks to a stoppage-time equalizer in the first half and a game-winning goal in the 96th minute.
Across the leagues, 15 goals were scored in extra time, including Crysencio Summerville’s 95th-minute equalizer for Leeds against Cardiff on Sunday.
Away from the EFL, Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard scored a 101st-minute equalizer against Manchester City in Sunday’s Community Shield.
The new measures will also be applied to the upcoming Premier League season, which kicks off with Burnley against Manchester City on Friday.
Why are these changes being made?
The motivation is straightforward: to bring games closer to a full 90 minutes of actual football play.
The average time that the ball was in play during the 2022-23 season decreased as one descended through the leagues.
The Premier League averaged 55 minutes, the Championship had three minutes less, League One clocked in at 50 minutes, and League Two games averaged just 48 minutes of ball-in-play time.
In an effort to rectify this trend, the game’s regulators – the International Football Association Board (Ifab) – stated earlier this year that their goal was to “create fairer conditions for both teams in terms of the amount of time available in a match”. These guidelines form the foundation for the EFL’s new initiative.
According to an EFL statement, “in line with the most recent Ifab guidance, the EFL and PGMOL (Professional Game Match Official Limited) are committed to ensuring a more accurate calculation of additional time and improving the amount of time the ball is in-play starting this new season.”
The precise time taken for incidents like injuries, penalties, and red cards – from the moment of the offense to either the whistle of the spot-kick or the player exiting the field – will now be added to the match time.
In another move to curb time wastage, the EFL announced that referees will adopt a stricter approach to handle time-wasting by players.
Players delaying the restart of the game or not retreating the required distance at a free-kick will be shown yellow cards.
Longest EFL matches over the weekend
Northampton v Stevenage – League One – 112 mins 36 secs
Shrewsbury v Cheltenham – League One – 110 mins 47 secs
Accrington v Newport – League Two – 110 mins 47 secs
Sutton United v Notts County – League Two – 110 mins 41 secs
Barnsley v Port Vale – League One – 110 mins 33 secs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about I’m here to assist you. How can I help you further?
What is happening with the duration of games in the English Football League?
Based on the opening weekend of the 2023-24 EFL season, it appears that games are set to last longer than ever before. All 35 matches involved at least eight extra minutes of play, and numerous games that kicked off at 15:00 on Saturday didn’t end until well after 17:00.
Why are matches in the English Football League extending beyond the standard 90 minutes?
This is because referees are now being instructed to add the precise time taken for specific incidents – such as goals, substitutions, injuries, penalties, and red cards – to the total game time rather than the estimated amount used before.
How is the new method of calculating extra time affecting fans?
Fans may need to revise their travel arrangements and reschedule post-match plans due to the extended duration of games.
Are these changes exclusive to the English Football League?
No, the new measures for calculating extra time will also be applied to the upcoming Premier League season.
What is the objective behind these changes in the EFL?
The International Football Association Board (Ifab), the game’s regulators, stated that their goal was to “create fairer conditions for both teams in terms of the amount of time available in a match”. This is an attempt to bring games closer to a full 90 minutes of actual football play.
What will be the penalties for time-wasting under the new EFL regulations?
In a bid to curb time wastage, the EFL announced that referees will adopt a stricter approach. Players who delay the restart of the game or do not retreat the required distance at a free-kick will be shown yellow cards.
More about I’m here to assist you. How can I help you further?
- EFL Official Website
- International Football Association Board (IFAB)
- Professional Game Match Official Limited (PGMOL)
- BBC Radio 5 Live’s Around the Grounds
- English Premier League Official Website
5 comments
as a ref myself, i think this is great! time wasting has always been an issue, finally, it’s gonna be dealt with properly.
is it just me or are we finally gonna get our money’s worth from footie matches?? More drama for sure!
If these changes affect the Premier League too, it’s gonna be an interesting season ahead…
Games extending over 100 mins?! that’s insane, hope theyve got extra snacks at the stadiums!
Wow, games really are gonna last longer, aren’t they? guess I’ll have to cancel my post-match pub plans…