FIFA’s penalty shootout tweak was rejected before the World Cup knockout rounds

FIFA’s push to change the penalty shootout procedure before the World Cup knockout stage was rejected, leaving the current rules in place for the tournament.

The proposal would have replaced the usual two pre-shootout coin tosses with one toss. Under the change FIFA wanted, the winner would have chosen either the kicking order or the goal end, and the other side would have taken the remaining option.

The issue was reported in the run-up to the knockout rounds, which began on June 28. By June 29, reporting said IFAB had denied the tweak, meaning teams at this World Cup will continue under the existing system.

Why FIFA wanted the change

The proposal was framed as a fairness issue. Supporters of the idea argued that the current process can give one team too much control, since the toss determines both the end of the pitch and which side starts the shootout.

The debate was linked to a recent Champions League final example in which one side won both tosses before the shootout, reigniting discussion about whether the procedure should be simplified.

What stays the same

For now, the World Cup will keep the current two-toss procedure. That means one toss is still used to choose the goal end, and another is used to decide which team kicks first.

The rejection leaves FIFA without the late tournament rule change it had sought, and the issue may be revisited after the World Cup.