2022 World Cup: Extra Time Rules, Length, and How it Works

 The 2022 World Cup held in Qatar is now in knockout mode and the quarterfinals are underway. With each game meaning an exit for the losing side and eight teams progressing into the quarterfinals.

Extra time has dramatically played a role in the tournament, with teams like Croatia, Morocco, and Argentina, coming out on top, as against Japan, Spain, and the Netherlands respectively — after an additional 30 minutes and penalties.

This prospect of extra time in the 2022 World Cup has generated series of conversations. Many have questioned, why the referee would give the such length of time? To understand the rules that apply to the 2022 Qatar world cup, hang on.

 

Here are the rules you need to know about it.

While the World Cup group stage matches can end in a tie, it is different for the Knockout stage of the tournament, as a winner is expected to emerge. So if after the 90 Minutes time frame and no winner had emerged, extra time is given. 

 

How long is a football match?

Football matches generally are 90 minutes, not accounting for stoppage time. The World Cup matches have two 45-minute halves. However, games have regularly been stretched past 100 minutes as a result of added time from referees.

 

What is stoppage time?

Unlike most other sports, soccer matches have a running clock that does not stop when the ball is not in play. Because of that, officials add time at the end of each half to account for such stoppages as injuries, substitutions, and goal celebrations. 

 

Referees have been particularly generous with stoppage time at the 2022 World Cup, which was a directive from the FIFA officials.

 

These referees were instructed by FIFA officials to add more time at the end of the 90 minutes to compensate for delays recorded during goal celebrations, injuries, substitutions, etc. such time should include at least one minute for an injury delay and 30 seconds for each pause to make a substitution.

 

Extra time rules at the FIFA World Cup 

FIFA World Cup rules on extra time are obvious about all knockout stage matches.

In the World Cup group stage, matches could end in a draw because teams advanced based on points and a tiebreaker system. From the round of 16, the tournament shifted to a single-elimination style.

So, for games at the Round of 16, quarterfinal, semifinal, third place play-off, and final stage, extra time will be played in the event of a tie after 90 minutes of regular action.

Regular action refers to the normal game time, including all stoppages and added time included within the match, and extra time will only begin once the referee has blown the final whistle.

How long is extra time?

Extra time is set at 30 minutes, divided into two 15 minutes periods, with a short break in between. After the first 15-minute half, there's a brief break and the various teams change ends. 

The teams play both full halves even if one team scores as there is no "Golden Goal" or "sudden death" rule.

Time can also be added to both periods, in the same fashion as in normal time, with the referee and assistant officials adding on time for substitutions, injuries, and delays.

If teams are still tied at the end of extra time, they face off with five rounds of penalty kicks. Whichever team makes the most penalty kicks out of five wins. 

If there is no leader, the game ends with a sudden-death penalty shootout.

 

What happens after extra time?

If a World Cup knockout game remains tied after 120 minutes of combined normal and extra time it will move onto a penalty shootout.

Each team is permitted five penalties with the winners decided by the team scoring the most spot kicks.

If the penalty shootout is still level after five penalties each, the shootout will go to sudden death, with a miss followed by a successful spot kick confirming the winners.