What happens in case of a tie in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup has officially entered the second round of the knockout stage, with 16 teams remaining. As in the round of 32, this means that settling for a share of the points (like in the group stage) is no longer possible

There are no second chances now.

No ties in the round of 16

Once the tournament reaches the knockout stage, every game must produce a winner. That means if two teams are level at the end of regulation, the game doesn’t end. It moves on to extra time, and if needed, penalties.

Step 1: Extra time (30 minutes)

If a round of 16 match is tied after 90 minutes (plus stoppage time), it goes to extra time.

Extra time consists of:

• Two 15-minute halves
• A short break between periods
• Additional stoppage time added at the end of each half

Unlike older formats, there is no “golden goal”. Teams play the full 30 minutes regardless of whether someone scores during that period.

Step 2: Penalty shootout

If the score is still tied after extra time, the match is decided by a penalty shootout.

How a penalty shootout works:

• Each team takes five penalties, alternating kicks
• A coin toss determines which team shoots first
• The team with more goals after five rounds wins

If the penalty score is tied after five kicks each, the shootout goes to sudden death, with the as yet unused players getting involved:

• Each team continues to take one kick per round alternately
• If one scores and the other misses, the game ends immediately

Note that if it is still level after all 11 players have taken a penalty, including goalkeepers, the player order repeats itself until we have a winner.

With the expanded 48-team format and the introduction of the round of 32, there are now more knockout games than ever, and more chances for matches to go the distance.

Historically, some of the most dramatic World Cup moments have come in these situations, from last-minute equalizers to nerve-wracking penalty shootouts. And with many evenly matched teams advancing out of the group stage, extra time and penalties are expected to play a major role in deciding who moves on.

These rules that begin in the round of 32 are the same ones used all the way through the final, so every knockout game will follow this exact format. One miss-hit penalty or one spectacular save can be the difference to a team’s World Cup run instantly.

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