What does FT mean in soccer?

As an obsessed soccer fan and youth league coach for over a decade, I‘ve heard the term "FT" used in many different ways. But for newcomers to the beautiful game, FT generally signals one key thing: the end of regulation play.

Let‘s dive into the nitty gritty of what happens once the referee blows the final whistle and FT flashes on the scoreboard!

FT Marks the End of 90 League Regulation Minutes

Most professional league and cup standard games are played in two 45 minute halves, making 90 total minutes of regulation time. Once the referee determines at least 90 minutes have elapsed, he ends the match and signifies full time, FT.

But you‘ll usually see more than 90 minutes on the game clock because of:

• Injury stoppages
• Substitutions
• Time wasting
• Var reviews
• Goal celebrations

The referee keeps the official match time and compensates by adding stoppage minutes at the end of each half displayed on the stadium scoreboard.

This injury time or stoppage time ensures at least 90 minutes of active play. Games can therefore exceed 100 minutes after factoring in all added time!

Premier League Match Lengths 2020/2021

So while a soccer match is slated for 90 minutes, it‘s rare for a referee to blow the final whistle right at minimum time.

Beyond 90 Minutes: Extra Time and Penalties

Matches level on aggregate goals after the minimum 90 minutes move to extra time. There they play:

• Two 15 minute halves
• Followed by a penalty shootout if still tied

The team with more goals at the end of the 30 minutes extra time wins. But if there‘s no winner by end of extra time, a best-of-five penalty shootout determines who advances.

During a shootout, teams take turns attempting penalty kicks. Whichever has scored more penalties out of the five attempts wins.

Golden goal rules in extra time have been abolished, so now all 30 minutes must play out unless a natural lead develops from open play.

Varying Game Lengths Across Competitions

While we‘ve focused on the standard professional 90 minute format plus stoppage time, not all matches follow that timeframe. Here are some other durations you may encounter:

Youth Soccer Game Lengths

• U6 and U8: Four 10-12 minute quarters
• U10 and U12: Two 25 minute halves
• U15+: Two 30-40 minute halves

World Cup Matches

• 1930-1990: Two 45 minute halves
• 1998-2022: Two 45 minute halves plus 30 minutes extra time

College Soccer

• NCAA: Two 45 minute halves
• NAIA: Two 45 minute halves

So FT indicates the end of the pre-established game time limit, whether that‘s 60 minutes for peewee or 120 minutes at the World Cup final!

FT in Soccer Statistics and Betting

You‘ll also see FT pop up in soccer data analytics and sports gambling circles. Here FT refers to:

• Free throws
• Full time result
• Full time score

Free Throws: % of shots or points scored via penalty or direct free kicks

Full Time Result: The match outcome after 90 minutes plus stoppage time

For betting, you can wager on variables like:

• FT score
• FT both teams to score
• FT over/under on goals
• FT draw no bet
• FT handicap
• FT correct score

So FT gets used flexibly across coverage of soccer matches!

Why Are Soccer Matches 90 Minutes Anyway?

The original standardization of a 90 minute football match length traces its origins to a dispute between London and Sheffield teams in the 1860s.

Unable to agree on rulesets and formats, the FA finally mediated an agreement in 1866:

• 90 minute matches
• Limited handling rules
• Retain offside standards

This launched the universal adoption of the iconic 90 minutes of regulation play we still see today. And it gave birth to the first FA Cup competition in 1871 played under these guidelines.

The Football League soon cemented the format further when it launched in 1888.

Part of soccer‘s global expansion owes thanks to consistent rules like pitch dimensions, number of players, ball specifications, and match duration.

Over 150 years later, 90 minutes plus stoppage time remains the definitive timeframe of the beautiful game!

So whether you‘re watching a ticky-tack League Two fixture on a Tuesday night or the World Cup final itself, you can count on approximately 90 minutes of action before FT flashes on the scoreboard!

Key Takeaways: Decoding FT in Soccer

After reading this guide, you should now understand:

• FT stands for full time and signals the end of 90 minutes regulation play
• Stoppage time gets added for injuries, subs, reviews etc so games exceed 90 minutes
• Tied games go to extra time then penalties to determine a winner
• FT also indicates free throws, full time score, and full time result in soccer statistics and betting
• The 90 minute standard was established in the 1860s and continues as the norm

So next time you hear FT in a soccer context, you‘ll know it ultimately refers back to the completion of the recognized 90 minute period of play!

I hope this overview gave you an appreciation for the variations in game duration across different leagues and competitions too. Soccer has come a long way from its early days of mob rules and unlimited players. But FT for 90 continues to blow as reliably as the referees‘ opening whistle!