How many penalty kicks in soccer? Explaining FIFA World Cup final shootout rules

Jul 18, 2026 - 07:45

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How many penalty kicks in soccer? Explaining FIFA World Cup final shootout rules originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Few moments in soccer are as dramatic as a FIFA World Cup penalty shootout, with the sport's biggest prize sometimes decided from 12 yards.

If the 2026 FIFA World Cup final is level after 90 minutes and extra time, the trophy will be decided by penalties. It is a rare outcome in the tournament's history, but one that played a defining role in the previous final, when Argentina defeated France following a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Here is everything you need to know about how a penalty shootout works, including how many kicks each team takes, what happens if the scores remain level and whether the World Cup final can be decided from the spot.

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Can World Cup final go to penalty shootout?

Yes. If the FIFA World Cup final is level after 90 minutes, the match goes to two 15-minute periods of extra time. If the score is still tied after 120 minutes, the winner is decided by a penalty shootout.

Although penalty shootouts are a rare way to decide the biggest match in soccer, they have determined three FIFA World Cup finals. Brazil became the first nation to lift the trophy on penalties in 1994 after defeating Italy 3-2 following a goalless draw. Italy then beat France 5-3 in 2006 before Argentina overcame France 4-2 after an unforgettable 3-3 draw in the 2022 final.

World Cup finals decided by penalty shootouts

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Score after extra time	Shootout score
1994	Brazil	Italy	0-0	3-2
2006	Italy	France	1-1	5-3
2022	Argentina	France	3-3	4-2

What is a penalty shootout in soccer?

A penalty shootout is used to determine the winner of a knockout match when the scores remain level after 90 minutes and extra time.

Each team takes turns attempting penalties from the penalty spot, located 12 yards from the goal. During each attempt, only the penalty taker and the opposing goalkeeper are directly involved.

The team that scores more penalties wins the shootout and advances to the next round or, in the case of the FIFA World Cup final, lifts the trophy. Goals scored during a shootout are not added to the official match score or a player's individual goal total.

How does penalty shootout work?

After extra time, the referee holds a coin toss to decide which goal will be used for the shootout. A second coin toss then determines which team takes the first penalty.

Teams take turns attempting penalties from the penalty spot. Only the designated penalty taker and the opposing goalkeeper are involved in each kick, while the remaining players wait in the centre circle until it is their turn.

The teams continue alternating penalties until a winner is determined under the shootout rules.

How many penalty kicks in a shootout?

Each team is initially awarded five penalty kicks, taken alternately. However, a shootout does not always require all 10 penalties to be taken.

If one team establishes an unassailable lead before all five rounds have been completed, the shootout ends immediately. For example, if Team A scores its first three penalties and Team B misses its first three, the contest is over because Team B can no longer draw level.

What happens if penalty shootout is tied?

If a shootout is tied after the first five kicks, a period of 'sudden death' begins. At this point, a team wins the shootout as soon as it scores a penalty and the opposition team misses its next one.

There is no limit to the number of sudden-death rounds. We just keep going until a winner is declared.

The longest penalty shootout in FIFA World Cup history lasted 24 penalties, when South Korea defeated Spain 5-3 after a goalless draw in the 2002 quarterfinals.

Every eligible player on the field at the end of extra time must take a penalty before any player can take a second kick. If one team has more players available than the other because of a red card or injury, it must reduce its numbers before the shootout begins so that both teams have the same number of eligible penalty takers.

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