FIFA is going to introduce changes to the penalty shootout rules before the 2026 World Cup playoffs

FIFA is considering making changes to the penalty shootout procedure before the start of the 2026 World Cup play-off stage. This is reported by The Times. According to the source, the federation is discussing a new mechanism for selecting conditions for a series of post-match strikes. Currently, the team that wins the toss can independently choose both the goal and the right to take the first kick, which is considered a certain advantage. FIFA proposes to change this principle. According to the new idea, the winner of the toss will have to choose between two options: either get the right to take the first kick, or determine the goal at which the penalty shootout will take place. In this way, the organization wants to eliminate the potential advantage of the team that takes the penalty kick first. Statistically, it is the teams that start the series that often emerge as winners. As noted, a decision on a possible innovation should be made before the start of the relegation matches. FIFA believes the change will help make one of football's most stressful elements more balanced and fair.