2026 World Cup: Fifa considers penalty shootout in the group stage, says The Athletic

Football's governing body suggests that there should be a penalty shootout worth "extra point" in case of a tie in the group stage
by
Josué Seixas
2022-12-06 19:06:22

The 2026 World Cup is right around the corner. Even in the midst of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Fifa is already planning more changes for the next edition of the tournament.

According to The Athletic, in addition to the increase from 32 to 48 teams in the competition, there is an idea within the federation to add the possibility of penalty shootouts in the group stage.

That would only happen if a match ended in a draw, worth an extra point for the winner of the penalty shootout. Currently, a draw gives each team one point, so with the change, the winner of shootout would take two points for the match.

The next World Cup in 2026 will be hosted by the three countries of North America: United States, Canada and Mexico. So far, only the number of participating selections is a confirmed change, while others should be discussed in the coming months.