With the 2026 World Cup final set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, it's worth a reminder of what actually happens if the biggest match of the tournament is still level after 90 minutes.The short answer: nothing gets decided quickly.Not many games have gone beyond regulation time at this tournament, but the nature of World Cup finals, where everyone is frightened of losing, means the scores are often level even after an hour and a half.Here's how extra time and penalties work if the final, or any knockout match, can't be settled in regulation.2026 WORLD CUP HQ: Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup ticketsWorld Cup final extra time rulesAny knockout match at the World Cup, including the final, in which the scores are level after 90 minutes goes straight to extra time. There are no draws once the tournament reaches the knockout rounds, so the match keeps going by rule until a winner is found, whether that takes an extra half hour or a shootout after it.Teams also get an extra substitution if the match reaches extra time, six in total instead of the usual five, giving both managers a bit more freedom to freshen up tired legs before a shootout.How long is extra time in soccer?Extra time lasts 30 minutes, split into two 15-minute halves, with a short break in between.Teams also switch ends at the interval, just as they would at regular halftime.How does extra time work in soccer?Extra time is played the same way as normal time, with 11 players a side, full stoppages for injuries and fouls, and video review still in effect throughout. The only structural differences are the shorter halves, that extra sixth substitution, and the fact that the match is guaranteed to end with a result, one way or another, by the time it's over.Is extra time sudden death?No. The World Cup dropped the golden goal rule after the 2002 tournament, so both 15-minute halves of extra time are played in full regardless of whether a team scores early on. A goal in the first minute of extra time no longer ends the match on the spot; the clock keeps running either way.Can World Cup final go to penalty shootout?Yes, and it has before. If the score is still drawn after the full 30 minutes of extra time, the match goes to a penalty shootout, the same format used in every other knockout round.Each team takes five kicks, alternating penalties, taken only by players who were still on the pitch when extra time ended. If the teams are still tied after five rounds, it moves to sudden death, one kick each per round, until one side scores and the other misses. Before it starts, the referee picks which goal will be used, and a coin toss decides which team kicks first.