The game consists of a single-elimination knock-out tournament with 16 teams (like in the knock-out stage of the FIFA World Cup), with each match lasting two minutes by default, plus injury time and, if the match ends in a draw, one extra minute of sudden death. If the draw persists, penalty shootouts are used to decide the winner. In the console versions and "Virtua Striker 4", matches are divided in two halves of one and a half minute each, with substitutions allowed at half time. "Virtua Striker 4" also adds a qualifying match, which grants access to the tournament proper if won.