Does the Copa del Rey have extra time or go straight to penalties? - News Room USA

In a scenario where many cup competitions around the world have been changing their regulations to save players, often abolishing extra time in favor of direct penalties, it is natural that doubts arise about the format of the traditional Spanish King’s Cup.

Contrary to the modern tendency to “streamline” definitions, the Spanish tournament preserves drama and physical exhaustion as integral parts of its knockout clashes.

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Does Copa del Rey have extra time?

In the Copa del Rey, the short answer is: yes, there is an extension. Unlike some competitions that seek to shorten playing time (such as the English League Cup in the early stages or the Spanish Super Cup itself in certain editions), this tournament maintains the classic format.

It works as follows: if a match ends in a draw at the end of the regulation 90 minutes, a 30-minute extra time is played (two halves of 15). If the tie persists after this extra time, the decision goes to penalties.

This rule is valid for all stages of the competition, but with a small nuance depending on the stage:

Elimination Stages (Single Game): From the first phase to the quarterfinals, clashes are decided in just one game. If tied, it goes to extra time and, if necessary, penalties.
Semifinals (Round trip): This is the only phase with two games. If the aggregate score (sum of the two games) ends in a draw after the second game, extra time will be played. It is worth remembering that There is no longer the “away goal” rule as a tiebreaker criterion; therefore, any equality in the sum of the scores leads to extra time.
Final: Being a single game on a neutral field, it follows the standard rule: a draw in the 90 minutes leads to extra time and, if equality persists, maximum penalties.