World Cup overtime rules: How do extra time and penalty shootouts work during World Cup games?

The group stage of the FIFA World Cup is over – and the excitement is fully underway, as the tournament has reached the championship game with today’s matchup between Argentina and Spain.

• Argentina vs. Spain

• Game time is Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m. ET

• Where: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

  Advertisement

• Fox, Fox One, Telemundo

Game time is Sunday, July 19 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

When the final whistle blows after 90 minutes, draws are no longer possible. Get ready for the drama of the knockout stage, which features two key ways to decide a winner if the teams are tied after regulation: extra time and penalty shootouts. 

This year, the tournament has expanded to 48 teams and features the first-ever Round of 32. Teams now have to fight even harder to reach the final, leading to more high-stakes matches than ever before.

Here is a quick guide to help you understand how the tense extra time and nerve-wracking penalty shootouts work.

Group-stage rules no longer apply, and ties are not allowed. So, now, teams get a quick five-minute break on the field before play resumes.

• 30 minutes, no exceptions:

  Extra time consists of two 15-minute halves.

• No “Golden Goal”: There is no sudden death in extra time. Even if a team scores 30 seconds into the period, the full 30 minutes must be played.

• Stoppage time stays: As in regular halves, the referee can add stoppage time to the end of each 15-minute period to account for injuries, VAR reviews or substitutions.

• The bonus sub: In regulation, managers may make five substitutions. If a match goes to extra time, both teams receive a sixth substitution to refresh their exhausted squads.

Extra time consists of two 15-minute halves.

No “Golden Goal”: There is no sudden death in extra time. Even if a team scores 30 seconds into the period, the full 30 minutes must be played.

Stoppage time stays: As in regular halves, the referee can add stoppage time to the end of each 15-minute period to account for injuries, VAR reviews or substitutions.

The bonus sub: In regulation, managers may make five substitutions. If a match goes to extra time, both teams receive a sixth substitution to refresh their exhausted squads.

If the teams are still tied after 120 minutes, the match goes to a penalty shootout. Penalty shootouts were introduced to the FIFA World Cup in 1978, with the first one taking place in 1982. Here’s how they work:

• Coin tosses: The captains and referee meet at midfield for two coin tosses. The first determines which end of the field will be used. The second determines which team kicks first.

• The lineups: Only the 11 players on the field at the end of extra time are eligible to take part. Players on the bench or those who were substituted out cannot participate. The players gather at the center circle, away from their coaches.

• Best-of-five: Taking turns, each team takes five penalty kicks. If one team gains a lead the other cannot overcome, the shootout ends early. For example, if a team leads 3-0 after three rounds, the contest is over.

• Sudden death: If the score is still tied after five kicks each, the shootout goes to sudden death. Teams continue taking turns, one kick at a time. If one team scores and the other misses in the same round, the match ends immediately.

• The goalkeepers: If the shootout is still tied after 11 rounds, the order starts over. Every player on the field, including the goalkeeper, must take a penalty before anyone can go again.

Coin tosses: The captains and referee meet at midfield for two coin tosses. The first determines which end of the field will be used. The second determines which team kicks first.

The lineups: Only the 11 players on the field at the end of extra time are eligible to take part. Players on the bench or those who were substituted out cannot participate. The players gather at the center circle, away from their coaches.

Best-of-five: Taking turns, each team takes five penalty kicks. If one team gains a lead the other cannot overcome, the shootout ends early. For example, if a team leads 3-0 after three rounds, the contest is over.

Sudden death: If the score is still tied after five kicks each, the shootout goes to sudden death. Teams continue taking turns, one kick at a time. If one team scores and the other misses in the same round, the match ends immediately.

The goalkeepers: If the shootout is still tied after 11 rounds, the order starts over. Every player on the field, including the goalkeeper, must take a penalty before anyone can go again.

FIFA has strict rules to ensure the contest between the shooter and the goalkeeper is fair.

• The stutter-step: Penalty takers may slow down, pause, or stutter-step as they approach the ball, but they cannot come to a complete stop. Once they finish their run-up, they cannot fake a kick. If they do, the penalty is counted as a miss.

• The line rule: Goalkeepers must keep at least part of one foot on or above the goal line when the ball is kicked. They may jump or move sideways, but if they step forward too soon and save the shot, the penalty is retaken.

The stutter-step: Penalty takers may slow down, pause, or stutter-step as they approach the ball, but they cannot come to a complete stop. Once they finish their run-up, they cannot fake a kick. If they do, the penalty is counted as a miss.

The line rule: Goalkeepers must keep at least part of one foot on or above the goal line when the ball is kicked. They may jump or move sideways, but if they step forward too soon and save the shot, the penalty is retaken.

Thirty-five shootouts have played out in the FIFA World Cup since they were first introduced in 1982, but only two have reached the sudden-death stage. Those two historic matches share the tournament record (12) for the most kicks in a shootout in World Cup history:

• West Germany vs. France (1982 Semifinal): The first-ever penalty shootout in World Cup history also became its longest. After a dramatic 3-3 draw, the teams went to penalty kicks. Both sides missed one in the initial five rounds before West Germany’s goalkeeper, Harald Schumacher, saved Maxime Bossis’s attempt, allowing the Germans to win 5-4.

• Sweden vs. Romania (1994 Quarterfinal): Twelve years later, Sweden and Romania matched the record. After a 2-2 tie, the shootout was similar to the 1982 match. Sweden missed its first kick but came back in sudden death to win 5-4 after a crucial save by Thomas Ravelli.

West Germany vs. France (1982 Semifinal): The first-ever penalty shootout in World Cup history also became its longest. After a dramatic 3-3 draw, the teams went to penalty kicks. Both sides missed one in the initial five rounds before West Germany’s goalkeeper, Harald Schumacher, saved Maxime Bossis’s attempt, allowing the Germans to win 5-4.

Sweden vs. Romania (1994 Quarterfinal): Twelve years later, Sweden and Romania matched the record. After a 2-2 tie, the shootout was similar to the 1982 match. Sweden missed its first kick but came back in sudden death to win 5-4 after a crucial save by Thomas Ravelli.

• ​Australia vs. France (2023 Women’s World Cup Quarterfinal): The record for any senior World Cup belongs to the women’s game. In 2023, Australia and France went through 10 full rounds (20 total penalties). After several misses and retakes, Australia’s Cortnee Vine scored the decisive goal to secure a historic 7-6 victory.

​Australia vs. France (2023 Women’s World Cup Quarterfinal): The record for any senior World Cup belongs to the women’s game. In 2023, Australia and France went through 10 full rounds (20 total penalties). After several misses and retakes, Australia’s Cortnee Vine scored the decisive goal to secure a historic 7-6 victory.

The shortest possible distance a standard best-of-five shootout can end is six kicks (if one team scores its first three and the opponent misses its first three, making it 3-0). In men’s World Cup history, this has never happened. The shortest penalty shootouts in men’s World Cup history lasted just seven kicks. This happened exactly three times:

• West Germany 4, Mexico 1 (1986 Quarterfinal): The Germans converted all four of their penalty kicks, while Mexico missed two of its three attempts, cutting the shootout short after just seven total kicks.

• Ukraine 3, Switzerland 0 (2006 Round of 16): Switzerland missed all three of its attempts (two saved, one hit the crossbar). Ukraine missed its first but converted the next three to wrap it up in seven kicks.

• Morocco 3, Spain 0 (2022 Round of 16): Morocco completely shut down the Spanish side. Spain hit the post once and had two penalties saved by Yassine Bounou, allowing Morocco to advance in just seven kicks.

West Germany 4, Mexico 1 (1986 Quarterfinal): The Germans converted all four of their penalty kicks, while Mexico missed two of its three attempts, cutting the shootout short after just seven total kicks.

Ukraine 3, Switzerland 0 (2006 Round of 16): Switzerland missed all three of its attempts (two saved, one hit the crossbar). Ukraine missed its first but converted the next three to wrap it up in seven kicks.

Morocco 3, Spain 0 (2022 Round of 16): Morocco completely shut down the Spanish side. Spain hit the post once and had two penalties saved by Yassine Bounou, allowing Morocco to advance in just seven kicks.

The 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France was decided by what is widely considered one of the most significant penalty shootouts in history, sealing Lionel Messi’s first World Cup title in one of the greatest soccer matches ever played. After a 3-3 draw featuring a Kylian Mbappé hat-trick and a Messi brace, the game came down to penalties. Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez put on a masterclass, saving Kingsley Coman‘s shot before Aurélien Tchouaméni missed wide. Gonzalo Montiel scored the decisive goal, capturing the title for Argentina and completing Messi’s resume.