How Long Does Fifa Game Last: Game Length

How Long Does a FIFA Game Last?

So, you’re ready to jump into a FIFA match, but you’re wondering, “How long will this take?” That’s a great question! It’s good to know how much time to set aside whether you’re planning a quick game or a longer session with friends. Let’s break down the typical length of a FIFA game and what factors can make it shorter or longer.

Standard Match Length in FIFA

The default game length for a standard FIFA match is set to 6 minutes per half. This means a full match, without any extra time or penalties, is typically 12 minutes long. This is a pretty good length for a casual game and keeps the action moving. It also allows you to play more games in a shorter amount of time, which is great if you don’t have hours to spend gaming.

However, that 12 minutes is the game time only. There are a few other things that add a little bit of time to each match.

Time Added Beyond In-Game Clock

The real time spent playing a game will almost always be a bit longer than 12 minutes due to these factors:

• Kick-off and Halftime: There is a short animation at the start of the match and during halftime break where the players walk back onto the pitch. This adds maybe 10-15 seconds each time.
• Goal Celebrations: When a goal is scored, there is an animation and a few moments while your players celebrate. This can range from 10 seconds to more, especially if the goal was spectacular.
• Substitutions: Making a substitution will also pause the game and add some time to the total game length, depending on how many changes you make.
• Cutscenes and Replays: If there are any penalty calls, red cards or replays, this also pauses the action and can lengthen the game, especially if a VAR decision is involved!
• Menu Navigation: While you are not playing football, time spent navigating the menu, like changing tactics or player selection, is also time spent on the overall match duration.

Considering all this, a standard FIFA game usually lasts between 15 and 20 minutes.

Customizing Match Length

The good news is that you’re not stuck with the standard six-minute halves. FIFA offers ways to customize the game length to suit your preference.

Adjusting Half Length

You can change the match length by heading over to game settings. You can choose from a variety of options, typically from 3 minutes up to 20 minutes halves. The options will vary slightly depending on the specific FIFA title you are playing. By adjusting the match time, you can make the game quicker, ideal for squeezing in a game when you’re short on time, or longer for a more realistic experience.

Here are some common half-length options available and their total game time. The total game time, includes all the extras mentioned above. Remember these are rough estimates:

Game Modes and Their Durations

Different game modes within FIFA can also impact how long a session will take. Certain modes come with pre-defined time settings, or extra match elements that add time.

Kick-Off Matches

Kick-off matches, your regular head-to-head games, are the most basic and will typically last the amount of time determined by the half-length settings you have selected.

Ultimate Team (FUT)

In FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT), game times are still determined by your settings, like in kick-off matches. However, the time spent in FUT can vary significantly. For example, playing FUT Champions matches will take a considerable amount of time. FUT rivals and squad battles matches are shorter, but still, take time. So if you are planning on doing a FUT match, you need to account for the time you’ll spend in menus, and in team management.

Career Mode

Career mode is a bit different as the main focus is not just about playing the matches, but managing a team through a season. While match durations are set by your half-length settings, progressing through a single season or more can easily take many hours. You also need to account for the extra time spent with training, transfers and player growth.

Volta Football

Volta mode in FIFA, focuses on small-sided street football, which tend to be shorter, with faster-paced matches, as compared to a full football match on the regular pitch. They usually last for around 5-10 minutes. But you can spend long periods in this mode, as there is a lot to explore from customization to tournaments.

Factors That Influence Game Length

Even with the default settings, several factors can still change the total time of a FIFA game. These factors affect the pace of the game and consequently the duration of the match.

• Number of Goals: Games with lots of goals tend to take slightly longer because of the extra time added for celebrations. A high-scoring game means more breaks in play.
• Skill Levels: If you’re playing with friends and the skill levels are uneven, a match could end faster or drag on depending on how much control is established. If one player dominates, the game can go by quickly. If the players are fairly equal, then more goals can be scored, lengthening the game slightly.
• Game Style: Some people like to play a slow, possession-based style of football while others opt for fast-paced and attacking football. The faster paced games tend to lead to a slightly longer game as chances are created at either end, which leads to extra time spent in transitions and celebrations.
• Difficulty Level: When playing against the AI, the game’s difficulty can play a part in the length of a match. Lower difficulty settings will lead to you scoring more goals, and lengthening the match, whereas a higher difficulty level might result in tighter, more cautious matches that have less breaks in play.

Time Commitment for a Gaming Session

Now, considering everything we’ve talked about, how much time should you set aside for a FIFA gaming session? Here’s a quick guide:

• Quick Game: If you’re short on time, a quick 3-5 minute half game is great, and you only need to allocate around 10-15 minutes.
• Casual Session: For a comfortable gaming session with a few matches, aim for at least one hour. This will allow you to have a couple of normal, 6-minute half games, and also allows time for navigating the menus or playing a different game mode.
• Longer Session: If you’re planning a proper session with friends, or a serious session on FUT, then you should schedule around 2-3 hours, or maybe even longer.

Knowing how long a FIFA game lasts helps you plan your gaming time and avoid getting caught short on time. With the flexibility to customize the game settings, you can adapt the gameplay to your own schedule. Whether you want a quick match or a more serious gameplay session, you can manage the game length.

Ultimately, the time you spend with FIFA is more than just the match duration, it’s about fun, competition and connecting with other players.