Leatherneck Nation

There are no more ties.

Here's how the World Cup settles ties:


During the Group Stage of the World Cup, games were allowed to end in a tie after 90 minutes. Each team was given one point, and they move on to the next match.

But the 'Knockout Stages' of the World Cup are referred to as such for a reason -- there are no more ties. Each game will need to have a winner so that someone can move on to the next round.

If a match is tied after 90 minutes, the two teams will play 30 minutes of extra time, separated into two 15-minute periods. In both periods, stoppage time will be calculated and added on, just like it is during the first and second halves. If the two teams are still tied after those 30 minutes, the tie will be settled by penalty kicks.

There is no 'golden goal', meaning the first goal does not win the match in extra time. Play will continue for the entirety of the 30 minutes of extra time no matter how many goals are scored. So if a team is scored on early, they have plenty of time to score and force penalty kicks, or even score twice and win the game.

Penalty kicks are best of five, and completed when one team is no longer mathematically able to beat the other in five rounds. If the teams are tied after five rounds, they go to sudden death, where each team takes a penalty kick until one team scores and the other misses in the same round.

While I admire the athleticism and skills required to play the game, the size of the field along with the rules of the game result in way too much "dead time" playing "keep away" with the ball and not nearly enough scoring opportunities to make it interesting for me. Even in the very slow game of baseball, you are but one pitch away from an exciting home run to be scored. Not only that, they are dragging the whole FIFA World Cup tournament out about twice as long as should be necessary. I mean these guys are world class athletes and should be able to compete on the field at least every other day. All that said, I am the kind of guy who MIGHT show up or tune in late in a close match just in case it boils down to the penalty kick shootout but I would have to be within walking distance of a cold beer to do it.