Germany vs Paraguay becomes first World Cup 2026 shootout as rules explained

Germany and Paraguay became the first teams to contest a penalty shootout at the 2026 World Cup after their round-of-32 tie finished 1-1 following extra time in Boston.

Penalty shootouts were introduced at the World Cup in 1978 and have since shaped some of the tournament’s most memorable moments. The 2022 final was decided on spot-kicks, as were the 1994 and 2006 editions.

How do penalty shootouts work at World Cup 2026?

If a knockout match remains level after 30 minutes of extra time, it proceeds to a penalty shootout. Before the first kick is taken, the referee conducts two coin tosses: one to determine which team shoots first, and a second to decide which end of the pitch the penalties are taken from. FIFA has proposed consolidating this into a single toss — with the winner choosing one factor and the loser deciding the other — but that change will not be implemented during the current tournament.

Each team takes five penalties, with sides alternating takers throughout. Only players who were on the pitch at the final whistle of extra time are eligible to take part.

If both teams convert the same number of their five kicks, the shootout moves to sudden death. From that point, each side takes one penalty at a time in turn, and the first team to miss while their opponents score is eliminated.

Two additional rules govern the process: players cannot benefit from rebounds during a shootout, and goalkeepers must remain on their line until the ball is struck.

With the 2026 tournament expanded to 48 teams and a new round-of-32 stage, there will be more knockout matches than ever before — and, in all likelihood, more shootouts to come as the competition progresses.