Analysis of Rules and Tie-Breaking Procedures in the 2026 FIFA World Cup
2026年FIFA世界盃規則與平分決定賽程序分析
Introduction
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has reached the knockout stage. This phase requires the use of specific tie-breaking rules and has sparked new discussions about how the offside rule is interpreted.
2026年FIFA世界盃已進入淘汰賽階段。此階段需要使用特定的平分決定規則，並引發了關於越位規則如何解釋的新討論。
Main Body
In the knockout stage, every match must have a winner. If the score is tied after the regular 90 minutes, the teams play two 15-minute periods of extra time. If the score remains equal, a penalty shootout begins. This process starts with a coin toss to decide the order, followed by five rounds of shots. If the score is still tied, 'sudden death' continues until a winner is found. In this tournament, there have been 13 penalties during regular play and two matches decided by shootouts, including wins for Paraguay and Morocco.
在淘汰賽中，每場比賽必須分出勝負。如果正規90分鐘後平手，兩隊將進行兩個15分鐘的延長賽。如果比分依然相同，則進入點球對決。此過程先透過擲硬幣決定順序，隨後進行五輪射門。若比分仍持平，將採取「突然死亡法」直到分出勝負。在本屆賽事中，正規時間共出現13次點球，有兩場比賽由點球對決決定，包括巴拉圭與摩洛哥獲勝。
Penalty kicks must follow strict rules. The ball must stay on the penalty spot, and other players must stay outside the penalty area. Goalkeepers must remain on or behind the goal line until the ball is kicked. Success often depends on the player's experience and the goalkeeper's strategy. Some failures were caused by a lack of professional experience, such as Jonathan Tah's miss, or by trying tactics that were too complicated, as seen with Lionel Messi and Achraf Hakimi.
點球射門必須遵循嚴格規則。球必須停在點球點上，其他球員必須留在禁區外。守門員在球被踢出前必須留在球門線上或其後。成功與否通常取決於球員的經驗與守門員的策略。部分失誤是由於缺乏專業經驗，例如 Jonathan Tah 的失球，或是嘗試過於複雜的戰術，如 Lionel Messi 與 Achraf Hakimi 所示。
At the same time, the offside rule is being questioned. Currently, a player is offside if they are ahead of the second-to-last defender when the ball is played. However, the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and FIFA are testing a 'daylight' rule proposed by Arsene Wenger. Under this system, a player is onside if any part of their body used for scoring is level with the defender, meaning there must be a visible gap to call an offside. The CPL emphasized that 17 World Cup goals would have been allowed under this new rule. Executive Vice President Costa Smyrniotis asserted that this trial aims to increase attacking play and make the game more exciting.
與此同時，越位規則正受到質疑。目前，若球員在傳球時位於倒數第二名防守球員之前，即被判定為越位。然而，加拿大超級聯賽 (CPL) 與 FIFA 正在測試由 Arsene Wenger 提出的「日光」規則。在此系統下，只要球員用於得分的身體任何部位與防守球員持平，即為在位，意味著必須有明顯的差距才能判定越位。CPL 強調，若採用新規則，世界盃將有17個進球被允許。執行副總裁 Costa Smyrniotis 聲明，此次試行旨在增加進攻表現，使比賽更加精彩。
Conclusion
While the tournament is currently using traditional rules, the CPL's trial of the 'daylight' rule could lead to future changes in FIFA's official regulations.
雖然目前賽事仍使用傳統規則，但 CPL 對「日光」規則的試行可能會導致 FIFA 未來的官方條例有所改變。
Vocabulary Learning
The 'B2 Leap': Moving from Simple Actions to Complex Conditions
An A2 student says: "The game is a tie. They play extra time."
To reach B2, you must connect ideas using Conditional Logic. In the article, we see a sequence of events that only happen if something else happens first. This is the secret to sounding more fluent.
⚡ The 'If' Chain (The Logic of the Match)
Look at how the text describes the knockout stage. It doesn't just list rules; it creates a logical flow:
- The Trigger: "If the score is tied..." The Result: "...the teams play extra time."
- The Second Trigger: "If the score remains equal..." The Result: "...a penalty shootout begins."
The B2 Strategy: Stop using short, choppy sentences. Instead of saying "I am tired. I will sleep," use the B2 bridge: "If I am tired, I will sleep."
🧠 Precision Vocabulary: 'Remain' vs. 'Stay'
At A2, you know the word 'stay'. At B2, you use 'remain' for formal or technical descriptions.
- A2 Style: "The players stay outside the area."
- B2 Style: "The score remains equal."
Pro Tip: Use remain when describing a state that does not change, especially in reports or official rules.
🔍 The 'Passive' Shift
Notice this phrase: "...17 World Cup goals would have been allowed under this new rule."
This is a 'Passive' structure. We don't care who allowed the goals; we care that the goals were allowed.
Try this mindset shift:
- A2 (Active): "The referee called an offside."
- B2 (Passive): "An offside was called."
By focusing on the action rather than the person, your English becomes more professional and objective.