Stoppage Time and the Minimum on the Board
The fourth official's board shows a minimum that can grow when further time is lost.
Stoppage time compensates for playing time lost within a half. Injuries are only one reason. Substitutions, delays, goal celebrations, video checks and other interruptions also appear in IFAB Law 7. The familiar label injury time therefore describes only part of its purpose.
The board is not a deadline
The fourth official displays the minimum decided by the referee. That amount can increase when more time is lost; the announced allowance is not reduced. If five minutes are displayed and another interruption follows, continuing beyond 95 minutes does not itself establish a mistake.
As a viewing exercise, note a lengthy stoppage during added time and then the restart. Do not turn this into a rigid calculation for judging the referee: the television clock does not display every part of the officials' timekeeping record.
Each half has its own allowance
Time lost belongs to the half in which it occurred. A first-half timekeeping error is not corrected by changing the second half's length. Some categories also use modified match durations under their approved rules rather than the standard senior format.
Extra time means something different
Extra time is a further phase used to resolve certain knockout ties. Stoppage time compensates for interruptions within a period. Added time can also occur in the two extra-time periods.
Near the end, distinguish the broadcast clock from the referee's decision to end the half. Do not assume every attack must be allowed to finish or that the board promises a whistle at one exact second. Specific legal situations, including completing a penalty that must be taken or retaken, also matter.
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