This study investigated whether fat oxidation capacity is associated with sustained physical performance during the final 30 minutes of elite football match play. Twenty-four professional male football players (age: 24.9 ± 4.0 years; V ̇ O_2peak: 59.1 ± 5.7 ml/min/kg) from the Danish Superliga completed laboratory testing to determine peak fat oxidation (PFO), Fatmax, and V ̇ O_2peak. From match tracking data, distances covered within speed zones, number of runs, and peak speed were analysed for full-match and changes between the first 60 and final 30 minutes. Correlations between laboratory and match variables were assessed. PFO was (mean ± SD) 0.48 ± 0.16 g/min (range: 0.24–0.78), Fatmax was 43 ± 10 %V ̇ O_2peak (31–61), and V ̇ O_2peak was 59.1 ± 5.7 ml/min/kg (49.7–71.3). Players covered 11,216 ± 789 m during a full match, including 899 ± 323 m > 20 km/h and performed 79 ± 29 high-intensity runs. PFO normalized to fat-free mass (PFO/FFM) was significantly correlated with attenuated declines in number of decelerations (r=0.42, P=0.042) in the final 30 minutes, whereas no other correlations with sustained physical performance variables were observed. V ̇ O_2peak was associated with total distance (r=0.59, P=0.002), but not with performance decrements. Peak fat oxidation may play a modest but significant role in supporting repeated high-intensity decelerations late in games in male elite footballers. V ̇ O_2peak was correlated to overall running performance but appears less informative for fatigue resistance.