The 2026 FIFA World Cup has entered the knockout stage, where there is no longer any room for error. Beginning with the Round of 32, every match must produce a winner, meaning a draw is no longer an option.

With 32 nations still chasing the trophy, the rules are different from those used during the group stage.

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What Happens If a Match Ends Level?

If a Round of 32 match is tied after 90 minutes, plus stoppage time, the game does not end there.

Instead, the teams play two 15-minute periods of extra time, with additional stoppage time added at the end of each period if necessary.

If the score remains level after the full 30 minutes of extra time, the winner is determined by a penalty shootout.

How Does the Penalty Shootout Work?

Each team takes an initial series of five penalties.

The team that scores the most goals after those five kicks advances to the Round of 16.

If the teams remain tied after five penalties each, the shootout moves to sudden death, with each side taking one penalty per round until one team scores and the other misses in the same round.

2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 Matchups

• Germany vs Paraguay
• France vs Sweden
• South Africa vs Canada
• Netherlands vs Morocco
• Portugal vs Croatia
• Spain vs Austria
• United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Belgium vs Senegal
• Brazil vs Japan
• Ivory Coast vs Norway
• Mexico vs Ecuador
• England vs DR Congo
• Argentina vs Cape Verde
• Australia vs Egypt
• Switzerland vs Algeria
• Colombia vs Ghana

With no second chances in the knockout stage, every match could go beyond regulation time, making extra time and penalty shootouts a real possibility as teams fight to keep their World Cup dreams alive.

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