How many minutes should each player have?
The question sounds simple and has an exact answer until you divide it and realize it doesn't add up. Here is the calculation, what to do with the remainder, and why 'as equal as possible' is a better goal than 'equal'.
The Calculation
Three numbers decide everything: · how many positions are on the field · how many periods the match is divided into · how many players are present Positions times periods gives the number of period positions. Divide that by the number of players, and you have the number of periods each should have. Seven-a-side, four periods, twelve players: 7 × 4 = 28, divided by 12 = 2.33. If the periods are 15 minutes, it means 35 minutes each of a 60-minute game.
Common setups, pre-calculated
Five-a-side, 4 periods of 10 mins, 8 players: 20 period positions on 8 = 2.5 periods = 25 minutes each. Seven-a-side, 4 periods of 15 mins, 12 players: 28 on 12 = 2.33 periods ≈ 35 minutes each. Nine-a-side, 4 periods of 17 mins, 13 players: 36 on 13 = 2.77 periods ≈ 47 minutes each. Eleven-a-side, 6 periods of 15 mins, 16 players: 66 on 16 = 4.1 periods ≈ 62 minutes each. Note that none of them add up. This is the rule, not the exception.
The Remainder – The Extra Period
When 28 is divided by 12, four players get three periods, and eight get two. Some get more than others, today. The extra period is the key to making the season even. If you give it to the same four each time, the difference becomes 25 minutes after five matches. If you give it to those who are furthest behind, the difference moves towards zero. That's why keeping a season total is the only job that matters. The distribution in one match cannot be fair — only the total can be.
More Periods for a More Even Game
If you divide the same match into six periods instead of four, each part becomes smaller, and the remainder you must round off becomes smaller. Seven-a-side in six periods with twelve players: 42 period slots shared between 12 = 3.5. Half play three periods, half play four — a difference of ten minutes instead of fifteen. The downside is more substitutions, more chaos on the sidelines, and less flow in the game. Most teams settle on four or six.
What the Rules Actually Say
The requirements vary between sports, regions, and age groups. Some have equal playing time as an absolute rule with a phrasing like "as equal as possible," others just as a recommendation. Check what's applicable for your group before making any decisions in the parents' group. If the rule is "as equal as possible," the season total is the benchmark, and you already have the answer on how to measure it. State the number aloud at the first parents' meeting. It's much easier to explain 2.33 games in March than in May.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do warm-ups and breaks count?
No. It's the minutes on the field that count, and they are easy to calculate because they come in complete games.
What if a player has to leave due to injury in the middle of a game?
Round to the nearest period and record it as usual. Precision at the minute level doesn't make for a fairer season, just more bookkeeping.
Should keeper minutes count as regular playing time?
Yes, the keeper is on the field. But many teams record keeper time in a separate column as well, because distributing it is a unique task — see the guide on rotating keepers and positions.
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