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The first-ever 48-team World Cup was whittled down to 32 nations for the start of the knockout stages.
From the first game of the Round of 32, when Canada dramatically beat South Africa 1-0 in Los Angeles, up to and including the final in New York on July 19, every match must have a winner on the day.
During the group stages, if a game finished even after 90 minutes, each team gained one point. In knockout soccer, the only prize is a place in the next round in pursuit of overall glory.
So, what happens ig a game is level at the end of regulation time in the World Cup knockout rounds?
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What is extra time at the World Cup?
When a knockout match at the World Cup is tied after 90 minutes, the teams will play an additional period of extra time.
Extra time lasts 30 minutes and is split into two 15-minute halves. This is always played in full.
At the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, FIFA used "golden goal" extra time. Ostensibly designed as a way to avoid penalty shootouts, this meant that if a goal was scored in extra time, the game ceased immediately and the scoring team was the winner. In 2006, FIFA reverted to conventional extra time.
All the rules from the regulation time remain during the extra time. Each team is granted an additional substitution, meaning they can make six over the course of the entire match if it goes to extra time.
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When does a match go to penalties at the World Cup?
If the teams are still level after 120 minutes, they contest a penalty shootout.
In a penalty shootout, the teams take turns to take five kicks each, trying to beat the opposition goalkeeper with shots from the penalty spot, which is 12 yards from the goal. It is more common for a penalty to be scored than missed or saved.
The shootout ends if one team establishes an unassailable lead during the initial five kicks. If the score remains level, then the shootout enters "sudden death".
In sudden death, each pair of kicks forms its own separate round. If one team misses and the other team scores in any of the rounds, the scoring team wins.
A penalty shootout that enters sudden death continues until this equation is fulfilled. If the score is still level after all 11 players have taken a kick, those takers who shot during the initial five penalties will take again, but this time under the ongoing sudden-death format.
Takers in a penalty shootout must be on the field at the end of extra time to be able to take a kick. If a player is substituted before then, they cannot take a penalty. If one team has had a player sent off or is playing with reduced numbers due to injuries, the side with a full complement of players has to nominate one of their number not to take part in the shootout, so there is an equal number to kickers on each team.
Has the World Cup final ever gone to extra time?
The World Cup final has gone to extra time on seven occasions. The first of these was England's 4-2 win over West Germany in the 1966 final.
The host nation also benefited from extra time in the final in 1978, when Argentina beat the Netherlands 3-1.
History repeated for the Netherlands in 2010, when they lost 1-0 to Spain in the additional period in 2010, while Germany beat Argentina by the same scoreline four years later.
Has the World Cup final ever gone to penalties?
The World Cup final has been decided on penalties three times. The first shootout final was in the United States in 1994, when Brazil beat Italy after a goalless draw in Pasadena.
The Azzurri were on the right side of things against France in 2006, while Lionel Messi's long wait for World Cup glory ended in 2022 when Argentina beat France on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw in Qatar.
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