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World Cup Penalty Shootout Rules Explained

2006 World Cup. Quarterfinal. Germany vs Argentina. I was twelve years old and had zero money on it. But I watched the entire shootout from behind a cushion because the tension was genuinely unbearable. Jens Lehmann saved two penalties. Germany went through. Argentina went home. The difference between advancing and elimination came down to two kicks that went the wrong way. Now I bet World Cups. And penalty shootouts aren't just nerve-shredding drama anymore. They're a betting market with real structure and specific rules that determine what counts, who can shoot, and when the whole thing ends. Here's every rule you need to know.

Logan Hogswood

May 8, 2026

When shootouts happen

Penalty shootouts only happen in knockout rounds, and only after extra time has already been played and failed to produce a winner.

The sequence: regulation ends tied, extra time played, extra time ends tied, penalty shootout. Three stages, not two.

Shootouts never happen in the group stage. Group games that end in draws stay as draws. One point each. No shootout. Done.

Basic shootout format

Before the shootout starts, two coin tosses happen:

One to decide which goal is used
One to decide which team shoots first

Each team selects five players to take kicks before the shootout begins. Teams alternate in an ABAB sequence. Team A shoots, then Team B, then Team A, then Team B, continuing through all five rounds.

After each team has taken all five kicks, the team with more successful penalties wins. If it's mathematically impossible for one team to win or tie before all five kicks are taken, the shootout ends immediately. No point making the losing side take their remaining kicks if the math is already decided.

If it's still level after five kicks each, the shootout moves to sudden death.

Sudden death rules

Sudden death is one kick each per round. Team A shoots, then Team B. If Team A scores and Team B misses in the same round, Team A wins. If both score or both miss, the round continues and another pair of kicks is taken.

The same shooting order from the original five kicks is maintained throughout sudden death. Players cycle through the lineup in order. No cherry-picking who shoots next.

No limit on sudden death rounds. It continues indefinitely until one team scores and the other misses in the same pair of kicks. Theoretically could go on forever. In practice it usually resolves within three or four rounds.

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Who can take penalties

Only players who are on the field at the end of extra time are eligible to take kicks. Players who were substituted off during the game cannot participate.

All eligible players must take one kick before anyone can take a second kick. This applies if the shootout goes beyond the initial five rounds per team into extended sudden death.

Goalkeepers can take penalty kicks. They're eligible like any outfield player as long as they finished the match.

One notable 2026 rule to know: during open play penalties in the match itself, no rebounds are allowed off the post or goalkeeper. The kick is over once saved, missed, or hits the frame unless the goalkeeper moves off the line early. But in shootouts this restriction doesn't apply the same way. Shootout kicks follow standard shootout rules.

What the shootout rules mean for betting

Three specific betting implications from the structure.

To-qualify markets cover the shootout. Standard moneylines do not. A team that wins a penalty shootout after 0-0 in 120 minutes wins the to-qualify market and counts as a draw on the standard moneyline. These are fundamentally different bets and they settle differently on the same game.

Shootout goals don't count in match totals. A game that ends 1-1 after 120 minutes and then goes to penalties is a 1-1 game for goals-based markets. The penalty shootout goals are not added to the match total. Your over 2.5 market is settled on the 120-minute score, not the shootout result.

Player props are almost always settled at 90 minutes or 120 minutes. A goalscorer prop on a player who scores only in the penalty shootout will almost certainly not count unless the market specifically states shootout goals are included. Check the terms for every player prop in knockout rounds.

Betting on shootouts directly

Some markets specifically cover shootout outcomes:

Match decided on penalties yes/no
Team to win on penalties
Specific shooter to score or miss

These are high-variance, niche markets. But they carry specific angles worth considering in genuinely balanced knockout ties where both teams have strong defensive records and extra time is likely.

A team with elite penalty takers, strong goalkeeper penalty save history, and deep squad confidence in the shootout is worth backing in to-qualify markets even at shorter odds than their 90-minute win price suggests. The cushion is real.

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The play

Shootouts follow clear rules. Five kicks each, ABAB sequence, sudden death if level. Only players on the field at the end of extra time can shoot. Shootout goals don't count in match totals.

Know what each market covers before the game starts. To-qualify for the full match. Standard moneyline for 90 minutes only. And stop letting the settlement rules catch you off guard when it matters most.

Before you bet the World Cup, check Shurzy's Predictions for the best betting angles and value plays.

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