29 June 2026

The knockout stage of the World Cup 2026 has begun, with teams battling in the round of 32. The encounter between Germany and Paraguay has become the first match of the tournament to extend into extra time and eventually to a penalty shoot-out, after both sides were tied 1-1 following 120 minutes of play in Boston.

Penalty shoot-outs were first introduced in the 1978 World Cup and have since become a defining part of knockout football. The 2022 final was decided through spot-kicks, and penalties were also required to determine the champions in 1994 and 2006.

Today, the penalty shoot-out is viewed as one of the most thrilling yet merciless ways to settle a match. It is rare for a team to lift the World Cup trophy without facing the pressure of extra time or penalties — and often both.

With the expanded format of the 2026 tournament, fans can expect plenty of late drama as teams progress through the knockout rounds. Here’s a look at how penalty shoot-outs will be conducted this year.

Lionel Messi is among the players who have missed a penalty during regular time in this year’s competition.

If the match remains tied after 30 minutes of extra time, the result will be decided by a penalty shoot-out.

Before the first penalty is taken, the referee carries out two coin tosses. The first determines which team will take the opening kick, while the second decides which goal the penalties will be taken at. FIFA had proposed a change to use just one toss — with the winner selecting one factor and the loser deciding the other — but this modification will not be implemented during the current World Cup.

Each team takes five penalties, alternating between sides. Only players who were on the field at the end of extra time are eligible to participate in the shoot-out.

If both teams score the same number of goals from their initial five attempts, the contest proceeds to ‘sudden death’. In this format, teams continue to alternate kicks, and the first side to miss while the other scores loses the shoot-out.

Rebounds are not allowed in penalty shoot-outs, and goalkeepers must remain on their goal line when attempting to make a save.