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• Updated Jun 14, 2026 at 1:09pm

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AUBURN, ALABAMA - JUNE 09: Lionel Messi of Argentina looks on prior to the international friendly match between Argentina and Iceland at Jordan-Hare Stadium on June 09, 2026 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

The World Cup is already off to an exciting start but if you are relatively new to soccer, we are here to help you understand some of the basic FIFA rules. One of the first major questions is what happens in the World Cup if there is a tie.

If you want to impress your soccer-loving friends, simply refer to a tie as a draw. Take it a step further by describing the match as “a nil-nil draw” if neither team scored.

If two teams are tied with the same score at the end of a World Cup game in the Group Stage, the match ends and each team is rewarded a point. Unlike popular American sports, there is not an overtime period, at least not yet. Ties are possible in the World Cup, but not for the entire FIFA tournament.

This changes once the Round of 32 starts as extra time is introduced, but we will get to that in a bit.

Here’s everything you need to know about World Cup ties.

World Cup Ties: What Happens After a Draw?

To summarize, every World Cup team plays three games against the squads in their group to start the tournament. During this period, there is no extra time and games can end in a tie.

Each team is awarded three points for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss. The top two teams from every group are guaranteed to advance to the next round.

Additionally, the top eight third-place teams will also advance to the Round of 32