Stoppage
Any interruption to active play, such as for an injury, foul, or the ball leaving the field, that pauses the running of the game.
Definition
A stoppage is any break in the continuous action of a match. Common causes include the ball going out of play, fouls and free kicks, injuries, substitutions, and goal celebrations. In sports that run a continuous clock, time lost to stoppages matters because it reduces the amount of actual playing time within a fixed period.
In association football, time lost to stoppages is estimated by the referee and added on at the end of each half as 'stoppage time', also called added or injury time, during which play continues beyond the scheduled 45 or 90 minutes. Stoppage time is not the same as extra time, which is a separate additional period played to break a tie. Managing and accounting for stoppages is part of the official's timekeeping role.
Where you’ll hear “stoppage”
Sports that use this term:
Football
The world’s most popular team sport — endless running, teamwork and community in one game.
Rugby
A physical team sport of carrying, passing and kicking an oval ball toward the opposing line.
Basketball
A fast, dynamic team sport of running, jumping and quick decisions on court.
How it connects
The meaning-bearing relationships that place Stoppage in the wider knowledge graph — each one with the reason it exists.
Commonly confused with
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Rules
- Penalty strokes in golfStrokes added to a player’s score in defined situations, such as hitting out of bounds or losing a ball.
- Direct and indirect free kicksThe two types of free kick awarded in football to restart play after a foul or other stoppage.
- Out of boundsThe rule that a ball or player leaving the marked playing area is out of play and possession is decided at the boundary.
- Throw-inThe method of restarting football when the ball fully crosses a side line, taken by throwing it back into play.
Goals
Officiating
- Foul callA foul call is an official's ruling that a player broke a rule of contact or conduct, triggering a penalty such as a free kick, free throw or penalty.
- UmpireA match official who rules on lines, serves and dismissals in racket, bat-and-ball and net sports such as tennis, cricket and baseball — and, in racket sports, also keeps the running score.
Healthy living
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
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