The 2022 World Cup in Qatar reaches its most dramatic phase: the knockout rounds. The top 16 teams from the tournament will battle through the brackets to reach the Grand Final scheduled for December 18, delivering high-stakes football and unforgettable moments across the nation of Canada, the United States, and beyond.
Penalty shootout at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: how many penalties will there be for each team, who will shoot first and how it will be decided
As the clock ticks down in these decisive matches, extra time often looms large. When the scoreboard cannot be separated by the end of two regulation halves, the game moves into a period of added time to determine a winner through normal play. If the teams remain level, the contest shifts to the ultimate decider: penalties.
During a penalty shootout, each side takes five kicks. The team that converts more of its five attempts advances to the next round. It is possible that the shootout ends before all five rounds are completed if one team has an insurmountable lead, keeping the drama tightly focused and the tension palpable for players and fans alike.
Should the score still be tied after both teams have taken five penalties, the procedure switches to sudden death. In this format, teams alternate taking one kick each until one side misses while the other scores, deciding the match in a moment of high-pressure execution under intense scrutiny.
Who shoots first in a penalty shootout is not arbitrary; before the kicks begin, the match official meets with the team captains to determine the order. Each side then makes a strategic choice about whether to start first or second, informed by past experience, confidence in the designated kickers, and the perceived pressure of the moment. The captain with the call often weighs the psychology of nerves and the rhythm of the shoot to gain a potential edge as the shootout unfolds.
Source: Goal