UEFA report shows big rise in number of 100-minute games in Europe's top leagues

The percentage of matches lasting 100 minutes or more in Europe's top 20 leagues has more than doubled in the initial rounds of this season compared to last season, according to a new report.

Referees in leagues around the world are now following a new directive to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages, such as goal celebrations and substitutions.

UEFA’s European Club Talent and Competition Landscape report, which will be published on Thursday, has found the share of matches in the opening two rounds of Europe’s premier domestic leagues lasting 100 minutes or more had risen to more than 43%, compared to 20% for the whole of last season.

The move to tackle time-wasting was first adopted by FIFA at last year’s men’s World Cup in Qatar and the sport’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board, said in March that leagues around the world should follow the same approach.

UEFA’s chief of football Zvonimir Boban recently described the new directive as "absurd" and vowed it would not be implemented in this season’s Champions League.

That followed concerns from players and their unions about the new directive, with Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Maheta Molango warning last month that football was "sleepwalking into a disaster" on player welfare, with the combined impact of new regulations and an ever-expanding match schedule.

The new UEFA report found that 139 matches in the first two rounds of action had lasted 100 minutes or more, compared to 83 at the same point last season, and that the average match had lasted 100.2 minutes, compared to 97.7 minutes last season.

Only one of Europe’s top 20 leagues, the Turkish Super Lig, averaged more than 100 minutes last season, with the