How to use it
- Type the Match length in minutes, for example 90.
- Type the Players on the field for one side, for example 11.
- Type the Players in the squad, including the substitutes.
- Read the Average minutes per squad member; the Working shows each step.
How the average is worked out
Every place on the field gives one player for the whole match, so the places together give the player-minutes of the match. In association football a side has at most eleven players on the field at any time. The Laws of the Game, Law 3, set that maximum.
Sharing those player-minutes evenly over the squad gives the average each member plays. A squad of the same size as the field gives every player the whole match; a larger squad gives each player less.
Player-minutes on the field = players on the field × match length
Average minutes per squad member = player-minutes ÷ squad size
Share of the match = average minutes ÷ match length × 100What the average does not show
- Who plays which minutes. A coach chooses the starters and the substitutes, so the real minutes of two players in the same squad can differ widely.
- Injuries, suspensions, red cards and stoppage time, which change the minutes of a match.
- Substitution rules. The competition sets how many substitutes a side may name and use; the average here assumes that the squad shares the field places evenly.
Worked example: a squad of 18 for a 90-minute match
Eleven players on the field for 90 minutes give 11 × 90 = 990 player-minutes. Shared evenly over 18 squad members, that is 990 ÷ 18 = 55 minutes each, which is 61.1 percent of the match.
If the squad is only 11, every player plays the whole 90 minutes, which is 100 percent.
Frequently asked questions
How many players are on the field in a football match?
Each side has at most eleven players on the field, one of them the goalkeeper. The Laws of the Game, Law 3, set this maximum for the whole match.
Why is the answer an average?
The calculator shares the player-minutes evenly. Real matches do not share them evenly, so one player can play more and another less than the average.
Should substitutes be counted in the squad?
Yes. Enter everyone who can play, the substitutes included, because they share the time on the field with the starters.
Can the calculator be used for sports other than football?
Yes. Enter the number of players a side has on the court, rink or field, and the length of the match in minutes. The same division applies to any sport where the time on the field is shared.
Why does the calculator refuse a squad smaller than the field?
A side cannot have more players on the field than its squad. If the squad is smaller, the match cannot be played with that many players on the field.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.