Injury Time / Added Time

“Injury time” (now officially “added time”) is the extra few minutes the referee adds to the end of each half to make up for stoppages — injuries, substitutions, time-wasting, VAR checks, you name it.

Example:

“The ref’s added four minutes of injury time.”

Why It Matters

Games are won and lost here. The phrase “late drama” exists because of it — a goal in the 94th minute can change everything.

Everyday Comparison (U.S. Sports)

Imagine if basketball had no buzzer — the ref just decided when enough time had been played. That unpredictability is part of football’s magic (and frustration).