Check the stage before predicting extra time
UEFA’s 2026/27 Article 18 does not use one identical tied-match procedure for every knockout game. A quarter-final or promotion/relegation play-off involves two legs, while the final tournament uses single matches. The third-place match is also treated separately. The word knockout alone is therefore not enough to predict how long a broadcast might run.
Aggregate ties are assessed after the second leg
For a play-off or quarter-final level across two matches, the current rule adds two 15-minute extra-time periods at the end of the second leg. A penalty shoot-out follows if needed. A draw after the first leg is not itself a trigger for those extra periods, because the tie still has its second match to decide the aggregate result.
Semi-finals and the final have their own trigger
If a semi-final or final remains tied after normal time, UEFA specifies extra time and then penalties if the sides are still level. When planning to watch one of those games, the scheduled programme window should not be confused with a guarantee that the winner will be known after 90 minutes of football.
The bronze game goes directly to penalties
For the third-place match, Article 18.03 says a tie after normal time is decided by a penalty shoot-out. It does not insert the extra-time stage used for the semi-finals and final. This is a useful example of why an apparently familiar tournament game still needs its edition-specific rules checked.
Make the viewing plan fit the actual match
Identify the stage and whether the listing concerns a leg, a complete tie or a final-tournament game. If watching a replay, be cautious about assuming its duration before opening it, as that can reveal how the match ended. These regulations explain the sporting procedure; a broadcaster’s live access, replay window and programme timing must be checked separately for the country and service used.