Marathon Soccer: The Longest Games, Shootouts and Charity Marathons

"Marathon soccer" can mean several things: a match that runs far beyond 90 minutes, a penalty shootout that lasts longer than the game, a charity event where teams play non-stop for days, or simply the huge distances players run in an ordinary match. Here is a look at all of them.

The longest official matches

A normal soccer match lasts 90 minutes plus stoppage time. Knockout games add 30 minutes of extra time and, if still tied, a penalty shootout. Before shootouts became standard, tied cup games could go on far longer.

The best-known example came in England in 1946, when Stockport County and Doncaster Rovers played a cup replay that lasted about 203 minutes. Under the rules of the time, the teams were to keep playing until someone scored, but the match was finally abandoned because of darkness, still tied. Matches like that are a big reason competitions eventually adopted penalty shootouts to decide tied games.

The longest penalty shootouts

A shootout starts with five kicks per team and then goes to sudden death. Most end quickly, but a few have become legendary:

• A 2005 cup match in Namibia between KK Palace and Civics is often cited as the longest shootout in senior soccer, with 48 penalties taken before KK Palace won 17–16.
• International and professional cup matches have produced shootouts with more than 30 kicks, in which every outfield player and both goalkeepers took a turn and the order started again.

When every player on the field has taken a kick, the order starts over, which is how shootouts can last longer than extra time.

Charity marathon matches

Amateur teams around the world play marathon matches to raise money for charity, rotating players in shifts and playing non-stop around the clock. Guinness World Records has recognized several of these events, some lasting well over 100 hours, with final scores running into the thousands of goals. The rules usually require that the ball stays in play continuously and that players follow strict rest and substitution limits.

These events are as much an endurance challenge as a sporting one, and they often become community fundraisers that run through an entire weekend.

How far soccer players run

An actual marathon is 26.2 miles. Soccer players do not run that far in one game, but they come closer than most people think:

Position	Typical distance per professional match
Central midfielder	About 6.5–8 miles (10.5–13 km)
Full-back or wing-back	About 6–7.5 miles
Forward	About 5.5–7 miles
Center-back	About 5–6 miles
Goalkeeper	About 2.5–3.5 miles

Unlike marathon runners, soccer players cover that distance in hundreds of short sprints, jogs and changes of direction, which is why the sport demands both endurance and explosive speed. Our look at the hardest sports explains how soccer's endurance compares with other sports.

Famous long nights at the World Cup

The World Cup has produced plenty of matches that felt like marathons. The 1982 semifinal between West Germany and France in Seville is remembered as one of the most dramatic: France led 3–1 in extra time before West Germany came back to 3–3 and won the first penalty shootout in World Cup history. The 2022 final between Argentina and France in Qatar went 3–3 after extra time, with Lionel Messi scoring twice and Kylian Mbappé completing a hat-trick, before Argentina won on penalties.

Long stoppage time has also become more common. At the 2022 World Cup, FIFA instructed referees to add time more accurately for goal celebrations, substitutions and injuries, and several group matches ran past 100 minutes. Many leagues have since followed the same approach, so a modern "90-minute" match often lasts closer to 100.

How players prepare for long matches

• Aerobic base – long runs and interval training in pre-season build the endurance to last through extra time.
• Repeated sprint training – drills that combine short sprints with brief recovery mimic the demands of a real match.
• Fueling – carbohydrate-rich meals before games and sports drinks during breaks help maintain energy.
• Hydration – players can lose a lot of fluid in hot conditions, so teams monitor weight before and after games.
• Squad rotation – substitutions and resting players between games reduce fatigue and injury risk.

Extra time is especially demanding because it comes when players are already exhausted. Coaches often save a substitution for extra time, and the laws now allow an additional substitute in many competitions when a match goes beyond 90 minutes.

Marathon soccer tournaments

Some youth and amateur tournaments are informally called "marathon" events because teams play several matches in a single day or weekend. They are popular with clubs because they give players a lot of game time, but coaches need to manage fatigue, hydration and the risk of overuse injuries carefully.