Introduction
Football matches can produce exciting finishes, especially when two teams are closely matched. Sometimes neither side can secure a winning goal during the regular 90 minutes. In a league match, the referee usually ends the game after the applicable added time, and both teams accept the draw. However, knockout competitions often need one team to advance.
This is where extra time and penalty shootouts become important. Extra time gives teams another period to compete on the pitch. If the score remains level after those additional periods, the competition may use a penalty shootout to determine the winner.
Although people sometimes use the terms interchangeably, extra time and a penalty shootout are two different procedures. Extra time is continued football played by the teams, while a shootout is a separate series of kicks taken after the match has ended.
Understanding these rules makes it easier to follow cup matches, international tournaments and other competitions where a draw cannot always be the final outcome.
What Is Normal Time in Football?
A standard senior football match consists of two halves, each lasting 45 minutes. There is normally a half-time interval between the two periods. The referee also allows additional time at the end of each half to account for delays during play.
These delays can include substitutions, injuries, disciplinary procedures, goal celebrations and certain video assistant referee checks. The fourth official displays the minimum additional time indicated by the referee, and the referee can increase it if needed.
The added time shown at the end of a half is not the same as extra time. Added time compensates for playing time lost during the original 45-minute period. Extra time is a separate stage used in certain competitions when a winner must be decided.
Important distinction: A match that reaches 90 minutes and then has six minutes of added time has not entered extra time. The referee is completing the second half.
What Is Extra Time in Football?
Extra time is an additional period of play used when a competition requires a winner but the match remains level after normal time. It gives both teams another opportunity to score through regular football before a different method of deciding the result is considered.
Under the Laws of the Game, extra time consists of two equal periods, each not exceeding 15 minutes. In the common format, this means 15 minutes followed by another 15 minutes, making a maximum of 30 minutes of extra playing time.
How is extra time played?
The teams continue playing on the pitch, following the normal rules of football. The referee controls the match, players can attack and defend, and goals scored during extra time count towards the match score.
There is a short interval between the two extra-time periods. The competition regulations determine the arrangements, including any permitted substitutions and other match procedures.
Does extra time always last 30 minutes?
Not necessarily. The Laws allow two equal periods of extra time, each no longer than 15 minutes. The exact format is determined by the competition rules. If a competition uses the full periods, the additional playing time totals 30 minutes.
The referee may also allow for time lost during extra time, just as happens during the normal halves.
Remember: Extra time is not automatically played after every draw. It is used when the relevant competition rules require a winner and provide for this procedure.
Why Do Football Competitions Use Extra Time?
Many knockout competitions cannot allow two teams to remain tied when a match must produce a winner. One club needs to qualify for the next round, reach a final or claim a trophy. Extra time provides a further opportunity to decide the result through normal football.
It can also create tactical challenges for managers. Players may already have completed 90 minutes of intense activity, so maintaining concentration and physical energy becomes increasingly difficult.
More time to create a winning goal
A team that has struggled to score during normal time may find new opportunities as the opposition becomes tired. Extra time can open spaces, create counter-attacking situations and reward teams that manage their energy effectively.
More tactical decisions
Managers may adjust formations, introduce substitutes or change their approach according to the score. A team protecting a narrow lead might focus on defensive organisation, while a side chasing a goal may commit more players forward.
A fairer opportunity to settle a tie on the pitch
Extra time gives both teams additional playing time before a shootout is considered. It does not guarantee that the stronger team will win, but it provides another opportunity for football to decide the result.
What Is a Penalty Shootout?
A penalty shootout is a procedure used to determine a winner when a competition requires one and the match or tie remains level after the applicable playing periods. It takes place after the match has ended.
Instead of continuing open play, the teams take turns attempting kicks from the penalty mark. Each attempt is taken against the opposing goalkeeper, with the aim of scoring a goal.
The standard procedure begins with five kicks for each team, taken alternately. The team with more successful kicks after the initial series wins. However, the shootout can finish before all five attempts have been taken if one team already has an unassailable advantage.
How does the first five-kick series work?
- The referee conducts the required coin tosses to decide the goal and which team kicks first.
- Teams alternate their attempts.
- Different eligible players take the kicks.
- The referee records whether each attempt results in a goal.
- The team with more goals after the initial series wins, provided the result is already decided.
Example: If Team A scores four times and Team B scores twice after both teams have taken three kicks, Team B cannot catch up with its remaining attempts. The shootout ends immediately.
What Is Sudden Death in a Penalty Shootout?
Sometimes both teams score the same number of goals after their first five attempts. When that happens, the shootout continues in additional rounds. This stage is commonly called sudden death.
Each team takes one kick in the same round. If one team scores and the other misses, the team that scored wins. If both score or both miss, the shootout continues to another round.
The process continues until one side has scored more goals than the other from the same number of kicks. The teams may change their order of kickers in subsequent rounds, but every eligible player must take a kick before a player can take a second one.
Initial five kicks: Team A 4–4 Team B
Next round: Team A scores, Team B misses.
Final outcome: Team A wins the shootout.
The competition does not need to continue to another round because Team A has scored more goals from the same number of attempts.
Extra Time vs Penalty Shootout: Main Differences
Both procedures help decide matches that require a winner, but they work in different ways. Extra time involves normal football play, whereas a penalty shootout uses individual kicks from the penalty mark.
| Feature | Extra Time | Penalty Shootout |
|---|---|---|
| When it happens | After normal time, when required | After the match has ended |
| Format | Two periods of play | Alternating penalty kicks |
| Duration | Up to 30 minutes of playing time | Depends on the number of kicks needed |
| Scoring | Goals during open play count | Successful penalty kicks count |
| Players involved | Teams play normal football | Eligible kickers and goalkeepers |
| Purpose | Provide more playing time | Determine a winner if still level |
A competition may use extra time followed by penalties. However, the organiser's regulations determine whether extra time is used and which procedure applies to a tied match.
Important Rules During Penalty Shootouts
Penalty shootouts follow specific procedures under the Laws of the Game. The referee is responsible for managing the process and ensuring that both teams follow the requirements.
Who can take a penalty?
Only eligible players can take part. Generally, these are players who were on the field or temporarily off it for a permitted reason when the match ended. A player who has been sent off during the match cannot participate in the shootout.
Can the same player take two kicks?
Not before all eligible players on that team have taken their first kick. The rules require different players to take the initial attempts. Once everyone eligible has taken a kick, players may take further attempts in later rounds.
What happens if the goalkeeper is injured?
The Laws provide procedures for replacing a goalkeeper who cannot continue. The available replacement depends on the circumstances and the eligibility rules. The teams must still follow the required player-number arrangements.
Does a yellow card from the match carry into the shootout?
Warnings and cautions issued during the match are not carried forward into the penalty shootout. However, disciplinary action can still be taken for misconduct during the shootout itself.
What happens if the goalkeeper moves early?
The referee applies the relevant penalty-shootout rules if the goalkeeper commits an offence. Depending on the situation, the kick may need to be retaken or recorded according to the applicable law.
How Do Managers Prepare for Extra Time?
Extra time places physical and mental demands on players. Managers must decide whether to protect their current approach or make changes to improve the team's chances of scoring. The right decision can influence the final outcome.
Managing player energy
Players may already be tired after 90 minutes. Coaches consider fitness levels, injuries and the remaining substitution options when deciding which players can continue effectively.
Using substitutions carefully
Fresh players can improve speed, pressing and attacking movement. A manager might introduce a forward to create more scoring opportunities or a defensive midfielder to protect the team's shape. The competition regulations determine the available substitution allowances.
Changing the formation
A team chasing a goal may use more attacking players, while a side trying to maintain its advantage might strengthen the defensive midfield. These changes can affect possession, space and the balance between attack and defence.
For more insight into the decisions coaches make during close matches, explore this guide to football match tactics and team strategies.
The Mental Pressure of Penalty Shootouts
Penalty shootouts are challenging because each attempt receives significant attention. A kicker must concentrate on the ball, the goalkeeper and the chosen target while managing the pressure of the situation.
Goalkeepers also face difficult decisions. They may study the opponent's previous penalties, observe body movements or choose a direction based on their own preparation. However, a successful save is never guaranteed.
Preparation and confidence
Teams often practise penalty routines during training. Players may work on their approach, placement and consistency. Coaches can also discuss which players are comfortable taking penalties and plan an order before the shootout begins.
Why composure matters
A player who remains calm can focus on executing the kick rather than becoming distracted by the crowd or the score. Goalkeepers must also stay focused because the next attempt can arrive quickly.
There is no single guaranteed method for winning a shootout. Preparation can help, but the result still depends on execution and the decisions made during each attempt.
What Happens When a Match Is Still Drawn?
Not every football draw leads to extra time or penalties. In a league competition, a match can finish level and both teams normally receive one point under the standard points system. No winner needs to be selected.
A knockout competition is different. If one team must advance, the tournament rules explain how the tie is decided. Depending on the format, the next step may be extra time, a penalty shootout or another permitted procedure.
In two-legged competitions, organisers consider the aggregate score across both matches. If the tie remains level, the competition's regulations determine the method for deciding which team progresses.
For a more detailed explanation of tied results, read what happens when a football match ends in a draw.
Following Football Matches and Competition Rules
Knowing the difference between normal time, added time, extra time and a penalty shootout helps supporters understand what they are watching. It is also useful to check the format of a tournament before a match begins because not every competition uses the same method to determine a winner.
Fans following football schedules and match coverage can explore futbol-libre.live as part of their football browsing routine. Always check that the viewing service is authorised and available in your location.
Another important rule that can influence attacking situations is offside. Understanding the football offside rule and its application can help viewers follow goals, disallowed attacks and referee decisions during both normal and extra time.
For the most reliable information about a specific tournament, check its official regulations. The rules may explain whether extra time is used, whether penalties follow directly after normal time and how substitutions are handled.
Common Misunderstandings About Extra Time and Penalties
Added time and extra time mean the same thing
They do not. Added time compensates for stoppages during a half. Extra time is a separate stage played when competition rules require a winner.
Every drawn match goes to penalties
This is incorrect. League matches commonly finish as draws. Extra time and penalties are used only when the competition format requires a winner and provides for those procedures.
A penalty shootout is part of the match score
The shootout takes place after the match has ended. Its result determines which team wins or advances, but the kicks are recorded separately from the match score.
Every shootout always has exactly ten kicks
No. Five kicks per team are the standard initial series, but the shootout may finish earlier if the result becomes unassailable. It can also continue beyond ten kicks if the teams remain level.
The first team to miss automatically loses
No. A missed kick does not automatically end the shootout. The overall score and remaining attempts determine whether the other team has already secured an unassailable lead.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long is extra time in football?
The common format uses two 15-minute periods, making up to 30 minutes of extra playing time. The Laws allow each period to be no longer than 15 minutes.
2. Does every football match have extra time?
No. Most regular league matches finish after normal time and applicable added time. Extra time is used when the competition rules require a winner and provide for it.
3. How many penalties does each team take?
Teams normally begin with five kicks each, taken alternately. If the score remains level, the shootout continues into additional rounds.
4. What happens if both teams are level after five penalties?
The shootout continues in sudden-death rounds. Each team takes another kick until one scores more than the other from the same number of attempts.
5. Is extra time the same as stoppage time?
No. Stoppage time, also called added time, compensates for delays during a half. Extra time is an additional playing stage used in certain competitions.
6. Can a goalkeeper take a penalty in a shootout?
Yes. A goalkeeper can take a kick if they are eligible under the shootout rules.
7. Can a player be substituted before a penalty shootout?
Ordinary substitutions cannot be made after the match has ended just to select a different penalty taker. The Laws provide a specific exception for a goalkeeper who cannot continue, subject to the applicable conditions.
8. Does a goal in extra time count?
Yes. A goal scored during extra time counts towards the match result. It can give one team the lead and decide the tie before a shootout is necessary.
9. Can a shootout continue indefinitely?
It can continue through additional rounds if the teams remain level. It ends once one team has scored more goals than the other from the same number of attempts.
10. Who decides whether a match goes to extra time?
The competition organiser establishes the regulations. The referee applies the Laws of the Game and follows the procedures specified for that competition.
Final Thoughts
Extra time and penalty shootouts are two important ways football competitions can decide a winner when a match remains level. Extra time gives teams additional minutes to score through normal play, while a penalty shootout uses alternating kicks to determine which side advances.
The standard extra-time format consists of two equal periods of up to 15 minutes each. If the score remains level and the tournament requires a winner, penalties may follow. The initial shootout normally gives each team five attempts, with sudden death used when the scores remain tied.
The most important thing to remember is that these procedures are not automatic after every draw. League matches commonly finish level, while knockout competitions use the procedures stated in their regulations. Understanding these differences makes it easier to follow football matches and appreciate the pressure involved in deciding a close contest.
Related Football Guides
Continue exploring football rules, match results and competition formats with these related resources.
Official Football Rules Reference
For the official rules covering match duration, extra time and penalty shootouts, consult IFAB Law 10: Determining the Outcome of a Match. You can also review IFAB Law 7: The Duration of the Match for normal playing time, added time and match duration.