The World Cup is already off to an exciting start but if you are relatively new to soccer, we are here to help you understand some of the basic FIFA rules. One of the first major questions is what happens in World Cup games if there is a tie.
If you want to impress your soccer-loving friends, simply refer to a tie as a draw. Take it a step further by describing the match as “a nil-nil draw” if neither team scored.
If two teams are tied with the same score at the end of a World Cup game during the Group Stage, the match ends and each team is rewarded with one point in the standings.
Unlike popular American sports, there is not an overtime period, at least not yet. Ties are possible in the World Cup, but not for the entire FIFA tournament.
This changes once the Round of 32 starts as extra time is introduced, but we will get to that in a bit.
Here’s everything you need to know about World Cup ties.
World Cup Ties: What Happens After a Draw?
To summarize, every World Cup team plays three games against the squads in their group to start the tournament. During this period, there is no extra time and games can end in a tie.
Each team is awarded three points for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss. The top two teams from every group are guaranteed to advance to the next round.
Additionally, the top eight third-place teams will also advance to the Round of 32.
When Does Extra Time Start in the World Cup? What About FIFA Penalty Kicks?
Once the World Cup games turn into elimination matches (this starts when 32 teams remain), games cannot end in ties. When there is a draw after regulation plus stoppage time, there will be a total of 30 minutes of extra time (in other sports Americans call this overtime) played after a brief break.
Again, this is not in the Group Stage and starts once the Round of 32 begins.
There is no golden goal as there are two 15-minute halves played in an attempt to determine the winner. If the score is still tied at the end of extra time, the game moves to penalty kicks.
Each team gets five penalty kick attempts. After five penalty kicks, the team with the advantage wins.
The penalty kicks continue after the first five attempts if no team is ahead. This period continues until one team gains an advantage after the same number of attempts.
How Is Stoppage Time Determined in Each Half of a World Cup Game?
Now that you are an expert on World Cup ties, let’s do a quick overview of stoppage time. Fans will notice at the end of each half that additional time is added.
Each half is 45 minutes then additional time is added. This time is determined by the officials based on any stoppage of play.
For the 2026 World Cup, this will include the hydration breaks as well as any stop in action for injuries. After 90 minutes, there is stoppage time added as well based on these same factors.
World Cup Rules: What Happens if Teams Tie (Draw)? Is There Overtime?