Does the 2026 World Cup have extra time?

The 2026 World Cup, like every edition since 1934, will feature extra time and here is a breakdown of how the rule works.

In group-stage matches, if a game ends level after 90 minutes, the result stands, and each side collects one point. At this stage of the competition, the objective is to accumulate points to progress, rather than to produce a winner in every fixture.

In the knockout stages, such as the Round of 32 (introduced in 2026), Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, a draw after 90 minutes leads to extra time. Two extra 15-minute periods are played, totalling an additional 30 minutes.

If the score is still level after extra time, the tie goes to a penalty shootout, with the side scoring more spot-kicks earning qualification or the title.

Why does the extra-time rule exist?

In the group stage, the team with the most points advances, so additional time is unnecessary, as a draw simply means one point apiece. In knockout or title-deciding fixtures, however, only one team can go through. The extra-time rule exists to guarantee that a single side is eliminated or crowned, while still giving teams the chance to settle matters on the pitch before resorting to penalties.

Many teams prefer to clinch victory within 90 minutes, while others use the extra period to defend and force a shootout. Physical fatigue becomes a decisive factor: after an intense 90 minutes, gaps open up, players tire, and mistakes become more frequent, often leading to dramatic moments and historic goals.

World Cup finals have been decided both in extra time and on penalties. A recent example is the 2022 final between Argentina and France, which ended level after 120 minutes and was settled on penalties, with Argentina lifting the trophy.

Argentina held their nerve to defeat France on penalties in the 2022 World Cup final – Photo by IMAGO/ANP

In 2014, the final between Argentina and Germany at the Maracana was decided in extra time without penalties. After regulation time ended 0–0, Mario Gotze scored in the additional half-hour period to hand Germany the title.