Playing time, overtime and the game clock
FIBA · 2026Quarter lengths, breaks, overtime, live balls and clock operation.
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Articles 8–9 — Four quartersArticles 10–11 — Ball status and locationArticle 50 — Starting and stoppingArticles 8–9 — Four quarters
A game has four 10-minute quarters, with 2-minute breaks between quarters one and two, three and four, and before each overtime. Half-time lasts 15 minutes. Ties are resolved by as many 5-minute overtimes as needed. Teams exchange baskets at half-time and keep their fourth-quarter direction for overtime. Both teams need five players ready to start.
Articles 10–11 — Ball status and location
The ball becomes live on the opening toss when it leaves the referee’s hands, or when it is available to the free-throw shooter or thrower-in. A basket, whistle or timing signal normally makes it dead, subject to shooting-continuation exceptions. A shot already in flight can still count after a whistle or end signal. An airborne player keeps the location status of the last floor contact.
Article 50 — Starting and stopping
The game clock starts on the legal opening tap, on a legal touch after a throw-in, or on a player’s touch after an unsuccessful last free throw. It stops for whistles and period endings. A made basket also stops it in the last 2:00 of the fourth quarter and every overtime, or when the conceding team has requested a time-out.
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