FIFA requests major penalty shootout rule change during the World Cup

News

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

FIFA is ready to make a major change to the rules governing penalty shootouts just days before the 2026 World Cup knockout round starts.

World football’s governing body has reportedly instructed IFAB to change a law that has the potential to impact every nation that reaches the last 32 of the competition.

FIFA, The Times reports, wants to have just one coin toss before penalty shootouts and not two, as was customary before. It now faces a race against time to push through the new legislation, with the next stage of the tournament scheduled to begin on Sunday.

Why this matters

FIFA believes that having one coin toss would make penalty shootouts fairer.

Previously, there would be two tosses. The winner of each toss would get to choose which team takes the first penalty and then which end the penalty shootout will take place.

In the new proposals, the winner of the coin flip will only get to choose one option.

Arsenal infamously loss both coin tosses against PSG in the most recent Champions League final, going on to suffer defeat when Gabriel hit his penalty high. Based on the new laws that FIFA wants to bring in, PSG would only now have the option of either having the shootout take place in front of their fans or taking the first kick.

The Times notably cites one academy study that suggests that a team taking first in a shootout has 22% higher chance of winning. It points out that other studies have also reported that there is an advantage, albeit they have typically reported a smaller figure.

“There is considerable evidence that the right to make this choice, which is usually to kick first, gives a team a significant advantage,” it claims.

What will the impact be?

Five matches at the 2022 World Cup were decided by penalty shootouts, with Argentine beating France 4-2 in the final of the competition to lift the trophy. Lionel Messi’s side had already survived a shootout to beat the Netherlands earlier in the competition, while Croatia also won two shootouts, overcoming Japan and Brazil.

Morocco was the other nation to pick up a victory on penalties, famously knocking Spain out with a 3-0 success from the spot.

Penalties are likely to play an even greater role in the 2026 World Cup given that the first knockout stage has been expanded to 32 teams. FIFA faces a race against time, however, to put in place the laws required to make this hasty, last-minute change.