when do the penaly shooutuouts begin in fifa world cup

June 28, 2026

Penalty shootouts in the FIFA World Cup begin in the knockout rounds, after a match is still tied following 120 minutes of play: 90 minutes of regulation time plus 30 minutes of extra time.

How it works

Group-stage matches do not go to penalties.
In the knockout stage, if the teams are level after extra time, the match is decided by a penalty shootout.

For the 2026 World Cup, reports say FIFA was also considering a rule tweak to the pre-shootout coin toss, but that would not change when shootouts start.

Simple example

If a round-of-16 match ends 1-1 after 90 minutes, then plays 30 minutes of extra time and is still 1-1, it goes to penalties.

TL;DR: Penalties start only in knockout matches, after extra time, if the score is still tied.