Serie A averages under 53 minutes of effective play, significantly less than France`s Ligue 1 (56`54″). This excessive time-wasting threatens Italian football`s appeal and club competitiveness in European tournaments.
Anyone watching a Serie A match often wonders how much actual play occurs. Too frequently, the game is interrupted by protests, injuries (real or perceived), and delaying tactics during goal kicks or throw-ins. Teams looking to defend a result often resort to these strategies to slow down the pace. This detrimentally affects the spectacle, making the “football product” less appealing abroad, and compromises the intensity of play necessary for Italian clubs to compete at a European level.
Comparison with Other Leagues: An Alarm for Serie A
A comparative analysis with other major European leagues reveals a worrying situation for Serie A, which ranks last in terms of effective minutes played. In this early part of the season, the Italian average is only 52 minutes and 55 seconds per match. In contrast, the French Ligue 1 records 56 minutes and 54 seconds, surpassing Serie A by over 7%. Following them are the Premier League (54`21“), Bundesliga (55`32“), and La Liga (55`58“). In the last round before the international break, the Inter-Udinese match, despite lasting 98 total minutes (with 8 minutes of stoppage time), saw only 50 minutes and 6 seconds of effective playing time, less than half.
The Ineffectiveness of New Rules and a Worsening Trend
Football remains almost the only sport where it`s possible to intentionally waste time. While some consider this a legitimate part of the game, it undoubtedly undermines the spirit of fair play. Recent rule changes, such as the penalty for a goalkeeper holding the ball for more than 8 seconds (now a corner kick instead of an indirect free kick), do not seem sufficient. The Italian trend is even worsening: the average effective playing time has decreased from over 55 minutes (55`17“) two seasons ago, to 54 minutes and 50 seconds last season, down to the current low.
A Downward Trend Also in Europe, but Italy Remains Last
Examining the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, a decrease in effective playing time is also observed at a European level. This could be partially attributed to less prolonged stoppage times compared to the post-Qatar World Cup period (November 2022), when many extra minutes were regularly added. The decline is particularly evident in England, despite the Premier League being renowned for its high pace and fewer interruptions. The average in the Premier League has dropped from 58 minutes and 12 seconds in 2023-24, to 57 minutes in 2024-25, to the current 54 minutes and 21 seconds. The Bundesliga also saw a reduction, from 57 minutes and 18 seconds to 56 minutes and 21 seconds, and now to 55 minutes and 32 seconds. Ligue 1 recorded smaller variations (from 57`29“ to 57`21“ and then 56`54“), while La Liga remained stable around 56 minutes. All these leagues, however, continue to surpass Italy in terms of effective playing time.
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