In the FIFA Club World Cup, the short answer to “can Club World Cup games end in a tie?” is: yes — but it depends on the stage of the competition. CicloKick will walk you through when a match can finish level, when it cannot, and what systems are in place to break ties in rankings.
What Are the different stages of the tournament
To understand how ties are handled, you first need to know the structure of the tournament:
- Group stage: Teams are placed into groups and play each other in round-robin format.
- Knockout (playoffs) stage: After groups, the top teams advance to single-elimination rounds (round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, final).
When can a match end in a tie (draw)?
During the group stage, matches can end in a tie. There are no extra time or penalties if a game finishes 90 minutes all square. Teamsthe points (one each). This format is standard in round-robin group play.
In knockout (playoff) rounds, however, the situation changes: matches cannot remain tied at full time. If a match is level after 90 minutes, the game goes into extra time. If still tied after extra time (usually two 15-minute halves), then a penalty shoot-out decides the winner.
Why is there a difference?
The group stage allows draws because the goal is to accumulate points (three for a win, one for a draw, zero for a loss) to determine standings. Draws are part of many matches and factor into rankings.
Knockout rounds are about elimination — you need a winner to advance. Hence rules force a result (extra time, penalties) so there is no tie.
How ties in standings (equal points) are resolved
Since group matches allow draws, teams sometimes finish with the same number of points. To decide who advances, FIFA has tiebreaker rules. CicloKick lays them out:
- Points obtained in head-to-head matches between teams tied.
- Goal difference in the matches between those tied teams.
- Goals scored in those head-to-head matches.
- If still tied, goal difference in all group matches.
- Goals scored in all group matches.
- Fair play / disciplinary record (yellow & red cards).
- If all else fails, drawing lots.
These rules ensure that every goal, every defensive action, every card counts — not just wins.
Key recent changes or specific notes
- The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup uses 32 teams, divided into 8 groups of 4 teams each. Top two.
- In 2025, the head-to-head criteria are given priority before overall goal difference in group ranking ties. This emphasizes performance directly between tied teams.
Conclusion
Can Club World Cup games end in a tie? Yes — but only in the group stage. In the knockout rounds, matches must produce a winner via extra time and penalty shoot-outs. That distinction makes every match at every stage matter in its own way. CicloKick hopes this clears up any confusion.
If you want, I can also pull up specific examples. Do you prefer past case studies or upcoming match predictions?
