2026 FIFA World Cup: Final Tournament Update
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is gearing up for its final tournament, and it’s getting exciting!
With the format now expanded to include 48 teams, the knockout stage kicks off at the round of 32. Over the next few weeks, we’ll see teams whittled down to just two contenders.
And as we approach the finals, there are a few important rules you might want to keep in mind.
Knockout Round Overtime Rules
Unlike the group stage, where matches could end in a draw, things take a different turn once we hit the knockout rounds.
If the game remains tied after the regular 90 minutes and any stoppage time, teams will head into extra time. This consists of an additional 30 minutes, split into two 15-minute halves. Just like regular time, stoppage time can be added at the end of these halves.
Interestingly, there’s no “golden goal” rule anymore. This means that even if a team scores early in an extra time half, they still have to play the full 30 minutes, plus any stoppage time.
In the event that the score is still tied after all that, the match will go to penalties. Each team will send five players to take penalty kicks. If it’s still tied after these initial penalties, it turns into a “sudden death” shootout, where the first team to score while the other misses takes the win.
How Substitution Works in Extra Time
Should a team not use all of their substitution opportunities, they can carry any unused chances into extra time. They’re also allowed one extra substitute, even if they’ve already used five previously. That adds an interesting twist to strategy, I think.
Now, regarding those substitution opportunities—FIFA recently raised the limit from three to five during the pandemic, and they plan to keep this change for the future. To keep the game flowing smoothly, though, they still limit how many times play can be stopped to make these substitutions to three.
There are a couple of nuances here. If both teams make a substitution simultaneously, it counts as one opportunity used for each side. And replacements made at halftime don’t count against that limit.
When a match goes into extra time, teams get an additional substitution slot, irrespective of whether they’ve used their other opportunities. Similarly, if both teams substitute at the same time during extra time, it counts as a used opportunity for both.
It’s worth noting that substitutions made right before extra time starts don’t count against the team’s opportunities either. Plus, those halftime switches during extra time are also exempt, giving teams a little more flexibility when the stakes are high.
