Soccer Rules Practice Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

After a penalty shootout, if the score remains tied, the rules dictate that the match proceeds to sudden death kicks. In this scenario, each team alternates taking penalty kicks until one team scores and the other does not in the same round, thus determining a winner. This mechanism ensures that a clear winner emerges without the need to resort to multiple rounds of shootouts.

The concept of sudden death is critical because it adds tension and excitement to the conclusion of a tightly contested match, providing a definitive outcome. The situation described is not addressed by declaring a tie, which does not reflect the competitive nature of knockout rounds in tournaments, where a winner is necessary to advance. Additionally, regular play does not resume after a penalty shootout, as the outcome after the shootout is meant to be final unless additional provisions are made for extended play in specific competitions. Hence, sudden death kicks serve as the decisive method for resolving tied scores following a penalty shootout.