What is extra time in soccer?

Here is the part that surprises Americans most: extra time only happens in knockout matches, where someone has to advance. During the regular league season, a tie is just a tie — both teams take a point and head home. But once you reach a single-elimination round of a cup or tournament, a winner has to emerge, so two extra halves are played in full. There is no sudden death; both halves run their course even if a team scores in the first minute, and whatever the score is at the end stands.

Crucially, this is not like overtime in American football or basketball, where the clock stops and the first score can end it. All 30 minutes get played out, with a brief pause to switch ends in between. Teams also get an extra substitution in many competitions, since legs are heavy after 90-plus minutes. The added running is brutal, which is why you so often see cramping players and cautious, careful soccer down the stretch.

If it is still level after extra time, the match goes to a penalty shootout — five spot kicks per side, then sudden death if needed. So extra time is really the middle step: a last chance to settle things with actual soccer before the lottery of penalties takes over.