EXPLAINER
Several 2026 World Cup games have already ended in dramatic penalty shootouts.
Published June 30, 2026
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Updated: 7 hours ago
It’s the business end of the World Cup and as the games get tighter and tighter, many end in extra time or the dreaded penalty shootout.
In this explainer, we will break down what extra time is and what the rules are for extra time and penalty shootouts.
If 90 minutes of normal play fail to determine a winner during the knockout phase of the World Cup, extra time or an extra period of play will be used to determine the winner.
This is the tie-break phase before going to penalties to determine the winner of the match.
Extra time lasts a total of 30 minutes, divided into two halves of 15 minutes.
At half-time, the teams switch sides, as happens during a 90-minute match.
When will the penalty shootout take place?
A penalty shootout – where several players from each side take aim at the goal one after another – is carried out if the match is still a draw after 30 minutes of extra time.
What are the rules of a penalty shootout?
The referee’s coin toss determines which goal will receive a penalty shootout. The second roll usually decides which team gets the first shot.
In the opening round, each team selects five players to hit the first five shots. Teams alternate attempts: team A, then team B, and so on.
Only players who were on the field at the final whistle of extra time can take a penalty kick, and any suitable player, including the goalkeeper, can be chosen as the attacker.
If the teams remain tied after five penalties, the shootout will end in sudden death.
Each team receives one penalty per round. Once one team scores and the other misses on the same pair, the penalty shootout ends.
The goalkeeper must remain on the goal line facing the attacker between the posts until the ball is kicked. He can move sideways along the line, but cannot move forward.
What were the most famous penalty shootouts in history?
- The 1994 World Cup final between Brazil and Italy was the first World Cup final to be decided by penalties. Brazil won 3-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw. A particularly highlight of the tournament was Roberto Baggio’s heartbreaking miss.
- In the 1990 World Cup semi-finals, West Germany beat England 4–3 and Argentina knocked out hosts Italy, also 4–3, with both matches decided on penalties.
- At the 2006 World Cup, Italy beat France 5-3 on penalties.
- In 2014, Brazil won 3-2 on penalties, defeating Chile in the round of 16 of the World Cup.
- During the 2018 World Cup, Croatia beat Denmark 3-2 on penalties in the round of 16 and then advanced to the quarter-finals, where they beat Russia 4-3 on penalties.