FIFA To Introduce Penalty Shootout At 2026 World Cup Group Stage

FIFA To Introduce Penalty Shootout At 2026 World Cup Group Stage  

Ibraheem Lateef Ayodele

The Federation of International Football Association, FIFA is considering changes to the World Cup in 2026 which will be co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

FIFA is tinkering around with having a penalty shootout at the group stage of the tournament when games end in a draw.

The 2026 World Cup will see 48 teams participate at the World Cup for the first time.

And according to some of the options being considered by FIFA, there will be three teams in each group. This means there will be three teams in each group.

"From the 2026 tournament, even in the group stage matches that ended in a draw, a penalty shootout is being held, and a plan to give bonus points to the winning team is being discussed," explains the Daily Mail. 

Meanwhile, there is another option where four teams could make a group with 24 countries progressing from the group stage.

According to former Holland forward Marco Van Basten, who is a member of FIFA's technical team, the penalty shootout at the group stage will be viable if only three teams are in a group.

"The penalty shootout can be a good option in a system where there are three teams in a group," Marco van Basten told Germany's Bild.