2026 World Cup penalty shootout rules for knockout rounds explained
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 28, 2026, 5:10 PM
Last updated Jun 28, 2026
As teams advance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, matches that end in a tie will enter a penalty shootout. Following 90 minutes of regular time and an additional 30 minutes of extra time, if the score remains level, teams will select five players to take alternating penalty kicks. The team with the most successful penalties moves on. Should the score still be tied after five rounds, the shootout continues in a sudden death format, where teams trade kicks until one scores and the other misses. Only players on the field at the end of extra time are eligible to take penalties, and if the shootout extends beyond 11 rounds, the order resets.
- •Knockout matches cannot end in ties.
- •Extra time of 30 minutes is played if needed.
- •Teams select five players for penalty kicks.
- •Sudden death applies if still tied after five rounds.
- •Eligible players are only those on-field at extra time's end.
- 11:23 PMYahoo Sports — What are the penalty shoot-out rules at the World Cup 2026?
- 5:10 PMYahoo Sports — How does a penalty shootout work in the World Cup?
"As the 2026 World Cup moves into the knockout rounds, there's one major difference from the group stage. Here's how a penalty kick shootout works.
"The matches in the round of 32 are the first games of the 2026 World Cup that could see penalty shoot-outs required to decide results
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsJun 29, 2026, 11:23 PMWhat are the penalty shoot-out rules at the World Cup 2026?
The matches in the round of 32 are the first games of the 2026 World Cup that could see penalty shoot-outs required to decide results
- Yahoo SportsJun 28, 2026, 5:10 PMHow does a penalty shootout work in the World Cup?
As the 2026 World Cup moves into the knockout rounds, there's one major difference from the group stage. Here's how a penalty kick shootout works.
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