Law 7: The Duration of the Match

Law 7 sets the basic format at two equal 20-minute periods of playing time, not 25 or 45 minutes each, and not four shorter periods.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §1 (Periods of Play) · recall

Only competition rules can permit a reduction below 20 minutes; a captains' agreement, a club's weather call, or a broadcaster's schedule cannot.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §1 (Periods of Play) · recall

The timekeeper signals the end of each period with an acoustic signal different from the referees' whistle, not a hand gesture, a flag, or a joint whistle from the referees themselves.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · recall

If no timekeeper is present or the signal cannot sound due to equipment failure, the referees confirm the playing time has elapsed and signal the end with their own whistle, rather than letting the period run on, abandoning the match, or handing the duty to the fourth referee.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · applied

The period ends when the timekeeper's acoustic signal sounds, even if the referees have not yet blown their whistle; it does not depend on the on-pitch whistle, the fourth referee alone, or a joint whistle from both referees.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · recall

Law 7 extends the timekeeper's acoustic-signal rule to extra-time periods as well, not switching to a whistle-only ending, dropping the signal entirely, or replacing it with a flag.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · applied

Law 7 closes with a general rule that periods are not extended in any other case, not at the officials' own feeling, a losing team's request, or a broadcaster's needs.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · recall

The acoustic signal itself ends the period the moment it sounds; a still-pending foul review, a still-awaited whistle, or a later retroactive ending are not how Law 7 phrases it.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · applied

Law 7 reuses the same distinct acoustic signal for extra-time periods, not a separate alarm, a visual card, or an unsignalled stop.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · recall

Across both normal and extra-time periods, the consistent trigger is the timekeeper's distinct acoustic signal for elapsed time, not an official's own judgement, an independent stadium clock, or a team's agreement.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · applied

A period awarded a DFKSAF right at its end is considered to have ended only once that kick is completed, not immediately, not by cancelling the kick, and not by a fixed two-minute extension.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · recall

Completion is the ball stopping or going out of play, any player other than the defending goalkeeper touching it, or the referees stopping play for an offence by the kicker or a team-mate, not a double touch, a time limit, or any goalkeeper movement.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · recall

Completion needs a touch by anyone other than the defending goalkeeper, so a team-mate's touch, an outfield defender's touch, or even the kicker's own second touch all count; only the goalkeeper's touch does not.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · recall

A defending-team offence before completion keeps the period open: the referees continue the game with a retake or a further DFKSAF or penalty as appropriate, not by ending the period, awarding an automatic goal, or restarting with a kick-off.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · applied

A goal scored after the period's normal end is only allowed in the carried-over-kick situation itself; it is not automatically disallowed, not automatically valid for any post-signal goal, and does not need separate approval on top of the completion rule.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · applied

Only a DFKSAF or a penalty kick carries a period past its time; a corner kick, an ordinary free kick and a kick-in do not.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · recall

The ball going out of play is one of the three completion conditions on its own; it needs no separate whistle, a save does not restart the kick, and completion does not require both teams to have touched it.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · applied

Completion by offence is a referees' decision, stopping play for it themselves, not a timekeeper's signal, a third-referee sign, or a fourth-referee call.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · recall

The ball simply going out of play satisfies completion by itself, whether or not a goal was scored, without needing a verbal confirmation or a prior goalkeeper touch.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · applied

Law 7 singles out the DFKSAF and the penalty kick for a carry-over rule that lets the period run past its time until the kick is completed; an ordinary attack gets no such extension, an early ending, or a postponement to the next period.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §2 (Ending the Periods of Play) · applied

Law 7 entitles each team to exactly one one-minute timeout per period, not two shorter ones, one longer one, or an unlimited number within a shared minute.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

With a third referee present, the request goes to them using the document provided, not straight to the timekeeper, verbally to an on-pitch referee, or to the fourth referee.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

Without a third referee, the request goes to the timekeeper instead, still using the document, not to the fourth referee, a team's own staff, or a match delegate.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

Without either official, a team official may still ask the referees directly for a timeout, so it is not lost, not restricted to the head coach specifically, and not cancelled outright.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · applied

The grant waits for the ball to be out of play and for the requesting team to be the one restarting or receiving a dropped ball, not an instant mid-play grant, a fixed midpoint of the clock, or the opponent's agreement.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

An unused first-period timeout does not carry forward or get forfeited for the whole match; the team is still only entitled to its one timeout in the second period.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · applied

Law 7 removes timeouts entirely for extra time, rather than keeping the normal one-per-team allowance, restricting it to the losing team, or shortening it to thirty seconds.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

The request is a written form the third referee hands out before each period, not a shouted request, an informal hand signal, or a note passed by hand.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

A mid-play request simply waits for the ball to go out of play; it is not granted instantly, is not something only the on-pitch officials can authorise mid-play, and is not discarded and lost.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · applied

The request chain runs through the third referee, or the timekeeper if there is no third referee, not through the fourth referee as the normal route, the timekeeper alone regardless of who else is present, or the on-pitch officials directly by default.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · applied

Law 7 lets players drink during a timeout, but only after leaving the pitch itself; it does not allow drinking on the pitch, require the technical area specifically, or ban drinking outright.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

Players may stay on or off the pitch during a timeout as they choose, with leaving required only to drink; there is no full-minute departure rule, no captain-only exception, and no need for special permission.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

Substitutes must stay off the pitch for the entire timeout, unlike players who may choose; they are not allowed to warm up on the pitch, confined to the technical area alone, or freely placed by the coach.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

Law 7 bars team officials from giving instructions on the pitch during a timeout, whatever the time remaining, and without needing the opposing coach to match it; it does not separately bar instructions from the bench.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · applied

A substitution waits for the end-of-timeout signal, not the earlier request, the drinks break, or a fixed final window within the timeout.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

Substitutions during a timeout wait for the signal marking its end, so an immediate substitution at the start is not allowed, but nothing bars substitutions for the rest of the period, and the wait applies to every position, not just the goalkeeper.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · applied

Substitutes have no choice and must stay off the pitch, while players may remain on or off as they choose; the stricter rule is not on the players, is not equally free for both, and is not phrased around team officials here.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

Law 7 names the pitch itself as where team officials may not give instructions during a timeout; it does not name the technical area, the wider stadium, or addressing match officials as the restriction.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

The timekeeper's own distinct signal both grants the timeout and later signals its end, rather than the third referee opening it, the on-pitch officials' whistle doing both, or the job needing two separate people.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · applied

Substitutes must stay off the pitch and officials may not give instructions on the pitch, so the shared restriction is presence on the pitch itself, not a ban on speaking, a seating requirement, or the same free choice players get.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §3 (Timeout) · recall

Law 7 caps the half-time interval at 15 minutes as a maximum, not 10 or 20 minutes, and not as a fixed figure with no room below it.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §4 (Half-Time Interval) · recall

Between the two periods of extra time there is no interval at all, just changing ends and switching benches, not a shortened interval and not staying on the same ends.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §4 (Half-Time Interval) · recall

Law 7 permits a short drinks break of up to one minute at that switch, so play does not resume instantly, the break is not as long as the normal interval, and drinks breaks are not barred for extra time as a whole.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §4 (Half-Time Interval) · applied

Competition rules must fix the interval's actual duration within the 15-minute cap, not decide which team chooses it, whether players may leave the stadium, or how timeouts carry over.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §4 (Half-Time Interval) · recall

A stated interval may be altered, but only with the referees' permission, not by a captain unilaterally, an announcer on the day, or as something permanently fixed once set.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §4 (Half-Time Interval) · applied

The default under Law 7 is a full replay, not a standing draw, a resumption from the stoppage point, or an automatic win for the team ahead.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §5 (Abandoned Match) · recall

Only competition rules or the organisers can override the replay default, not a vote between the clubs, an official's personal preference, or a broadcaster's interest.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §5 (Abandoned Match) · recall

With no overriding rule stated, the default replay applies in full, not standing as completed at the stoppage score, not a partial replay from the second period, and not a loss for both teams.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §5 (Abandoned Match) · applied

The interval's default can only be altered with the referees' permission, while an abandoned match's default is overridden by competition rules or the organisers, two different authorities, not the same body for both, not the fourth referee for either, and not something fixed once the match starts.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 §4-5 (Half-Time Interval; Abandoned Match) · applied

Law 7's recurring pattern is a default figure that competition rules or the referees may adjust within stated conditions, not an unchangeable absolute, an international-only rule, or a non-binding suggestion.

Source: FIFA Futsal Laws of the Game 2025-26, Law 7 (whole Law) · applied