A penalty shootout is pure agony to watch. When a knockout game is still tied after extra time, each team alternates taking penalty kicks until one team has scored more than the other after five rounds — or until one team has an insurmountable lead.
How It Works
Teams select five players to take penalties in a pre-decided order. Both teams take one penalty alternately. A team that scores all five and the opposition misses one or more wins. If the score is still level after both teams have taken five kicks, the shootout moves to sudden death — one kick per team, and the first team to score while the other misses wins.
The Psychology
Shootouts are won and lost in the mind as much as with the foot. Goalkeepers study their opponents' tendencies. Penalty takers rehearse specific strategies — going early, going late, trusting their run-up. The pressure of kicking a ball at an almost-empty net with millions watching is enormous. Top players regularly miss. England famously struggled in shootouts for decades before winning one at Euro 2024.
Preparing for Shootouts
Modern national teams invest significantly in shootout preparation. Analysts study opposing goalkeepers. Players practice penalties under simulated pressure — training with noise, fatigue, and time constraints to replicate match conditions as closely as possible. Gone are the days of just picking whoever puts their hand up.
Every World Cup knockout round at WC26 is settled on the day — no second legs, no away goals. Any match level after extra time goes to penalties. The Final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium could come down to a shootout. The new Round of 32 adds extra shootout scenarios that were not present in previous World Cups.
