The fans at the World Cup stadiums in Qatar have received a lot of football for their money. Because as several attentive viewers have pointed out: An unusually large amount of additional time is added to the World Cup matches. During the four games played so far, 65 minutes have been added – almost one and a half innings in total. England’s crushing 6-2 win over Iran is the most extreme example so far: Qatar – Ecuador: 11 minutes total England – Iran: 27 minutes total Netherlands – Senegal: 14 minutes total USA – Wales: 13 minutes total By comparison, it was to a total of 24 minutes during the first four matches of the World Cup 2018. Extra time World Cup 2018 Russia – Saudi Arabia: 2 min + 3 min Egypt – Uruguay: 1 min + 5 min Morocco – Iran: 2 min + 6 min Portugal – Spain: 1 min + 4 min Total: 24 min According to the statistics agency Opta, the first and second halves are in England-Iran (14.08′, 13.08′), the second half in USA – Wales (10.34′) and the second half in Senegal – Netherlands (10.03′) the four WC rounds with the most additional time since 1966. All on the first two days in Qatar. Do you like the referees in the World Cup adding many additional minutes? – We asked everyone not to be surprised. However, it is no coincidence that the judges add so much. This is what Fifa’s chief referee Pierluigi Collina tells ESPN. – We asked everyone not to be surprised if they saw the fourth official lift the electronic board with a big number on it, whether it’s six, seven or eight minutes. If you want more active playing time, we must be prepared that such additional times can be given, Collina was clear before the World Cup. And he has so far been a man of his word. The Italian is considered one of the best referees of all time, but is now responsible for today’s referees doing their job. He says that the WC referees have been given clear instructions to crack down on taking time out. – What we want to do is to precisely calculate the extra time at the end of each round. It is the fourth referee who does it, we had success with it in Russia and we expect the same in Qatar, said Collina. FIFA’s Pierluigi Collina has given instructions on how referees should handle extra time in the World Cup. Photo: Martin Meissner / AP – Strange to introduce in the WC news’s football expert Carl Erik Torp has just gone for a jog in the Doha heat when news’s journalist catches up with him. He is a little disappointed because the training clock went on strike and did not register the run, but is also a little disappointed about the use of the clock in the WC. – I think it is strange to introduce such a significant change in a championship such as the WC. But at the same time, it’s a good and natural move to get rid of what everyone gets annoyed about, unnecessary time use and cynical delaying of time, says Torp. Carl-Erik Torp has been puzzled by the long games in the World Cup. Photo: Terje Pedersen / Terje Pedersen – Fifa is experimenting The news expert believes that it would be wrong to first introduce this on the world’s biggest stage, and rather thinks that it should be run in and tested in either a qualification or smaller leagues before being unleashed in the World Cup . At the same time, he believes that Fifa is taking a chance with the players’ health and overall load by introducing longer matches in practice. – Even though it sounds like a quarter of an extra time, the players are so set in their bodies to play 93 minutes. It feels like Fifa is experimenting with what the players can withstand physically. It will be unusual for them to play such long matches, Torp believes. Collina said before the WC that the aim is to compensate for lost playing time, and used goal celebrations as an example. – Think of a match with three goals scored. A celebration normally takes one and a half minutes, so with three goals scored you lose five or six minutes, he illustrates. – I don’t buy that. That argument leaves Carl-Erik Torp stumped. – I don’t buy it, celebrating goals is part of football. But the fact that players are down, there are injuries and delays in time, I think it’s great that they add to that. Then you punish such cynicism. But punishing teams by adding time for them to celebrate a goal? Do they want the teams to stop celebrating then, for it to be more effective? asks Torp rhetorically. In the match between England and Iran, 14 minutes were added in one of the halves. Photo: PAUL ELLIS / AFP Time spent on VAR, treatment of injuries, substitutions, penalties and red cards are other things that referees are now more concerned with adding time to. It is the fourth official’s task to calculate how much time is lost on the pitch, while the VAR team keeps track of how much time is spent reviewing video. – It is better than before, when it was the referee’s job to do it, says Collina.
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The World Cup detail is causing a stir – this is how Fifa explains record-long matches – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
