If a 2026 World Cup knockout match is tied after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time is played.
The additional period is divided into two 15-minute halves, with a short interval between them. The same procedure applies from the Round of 32 through the final, ensuring that every knockout match produces a winner on the day.
If the score remains level after extra time, the teams contest a penalty shootout. Each side initially takes five penalties, alternating kicks; if the scores are still tied after that sequence, the shootout continues in sudden-death rounds.
The 30-minute total is not the same as stoppage time. Referees may add stoppage time at the end of regulation and again during extra time for substitutions, injuries or delays. Nor does a knockout draw finish after 90 minutes, as a group-stage match can: elimination games require extra time and, if necessary, penalties.