Extra time and penalty shootouts explained

In a knockout match someone has to go through — so when the score is level after 90 minutes, football has two tie-breakers waiting. Here's how they work.

Step one: extra time

If a knockout tie is level at full time, the game goes to extra time: two halves of 15 minutes each, so 30 extra minutes in total. Both halves are always played in full — there is no golden goal in modern football, so a goal does not end the game early.

Teams typically get an extra substitution to use in this period. If a team is ahead when extra time ends, they win. If it's still level, it comes down to penalties.

Step two: the penalty shootout

The shootout is football's ultimate test of nerve:

1. The referee picks the goal to be used; a coin toss decides which team shoots first.

2. Teams take five penalties each, alternating.

3. Whoever scores more from their five wins.

A shootout can end early: if one team goes far enough ahead that the other can't catch up even with their remaining kicks, it stops there.

Sudden death

If the score is still level after five penalties each, the shootout moves to sudden death — one kick each, pair by pair. As soon as one team scores and the other misses in the same round, it's over. Every outfield player (and the goalkeeper) must take a kick before anyone can go again.

Why it's so dramatic

A penalty is scored far more often than not, so the pressure is brutal: a miss is rarely "unlucky," it's remembered. Shootouts have decided World Cup finals and broken hearts across every competition — which is exactly why they're unmissable.

Catch knockout drama as it unfolds in our live match centre.