FIFA has withdrawn a controversial proposal to alter the penalty shoot-out procedure during the ongoing FIFA World Cup after the plan sparked widespread criticism over the prospect of changing tournament regulations midway through football’s biggest event.
The decision ensures that the existing penalty shoot-out format will remain in force throughout the knockout stage of the expanded 48-team World Cup, which has now reached the newly introduced Round of 32.
The controversy emerged just as the knockout phase began. In Los Angeles, Canada became the first team to secure a place in the Round of 16 after edging South Africa with a dramatic stoppage-time winner. Stephen Eustáquio struck in the closing moments of normal time to seal a memorable victory and eliminate the need for extra time.
Brazil also progressed after defeating Japan 2-1 in Houston. Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli scored a late winner to send the five-time world champions into the last 16, avoiding the uncertainty of extra time.
The focus soon shifted away from the on-field action after reports revealed that FIFA had sought an immediate amendment to the procedure governing penalty shoot-outs. According to The Athletic, the world governing body entered urgent discussions with the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the organisation responsible for the Laws of the Game, over changing the coin toss process that takes place before a shoot-out.
Under the current regulations, two separate coin tosses are held. The first determines which team will take the opening penalty, while the second decides the goal at which the kicks will be taken. FIFA proposed replacing the existing system with a single toss. Under the suggested format, the captain winning the toss would choose either whether their team would kick first or which end of the pitch would be used, leaving the losing captain with the remaining option.
FIFA reportedly believed the change would create a fairer process by preventing one team from gaining an advantage through winning both coin tosses. The governing body argued that the revised system would remove an element of chance that could potentially benefit one side before the shoot-out even began.
The proposal, however, immediately prompted criticism because it surfaced after the World Cup had already started. Many observers questioned the wisdom of introducing even a procedural adjustment during the tournament, particularly as the knockout rounds carry the highest stakes and require absolute consistency in the application of the rules.
The discussions between FIFA and IFAB ultimately failed to produce an agreement, resulting in the governing body abandoning its proposal. As a consequence, all remaining knockout fixtures will continue to follow the long-established penalty shoot-out procedure.
BBC football analyst Dale Johnson reported that IFAB had been willing, in principle, to consider the single-toss system on a trial basis. Any experiment, however, would be reserved for a future competition rather than being introduced at a World Cup, where maintaining regulatory stability is regarded as paramount.
Should any knockout match remain level after extra time, officials will therefore continue to conduct two separate coin tosses. The first will determine which team takes the opening penalty, while the second will decide the end of the stadium where the shoot-out will be held.
The debate has also revived discussion about the significance of the second coin toss. Although often overlooked, it can prove influential by determining the end of the ground where penalties are taken, potentially allowing one team to shoot in front of a larger section of its own supporters. Team captains traditionally make the call for this toss.
A recent example came in the UEFA Champions League final at Budapest’s Puskás Aréna, where Arsenal lost both pre-shoot-out coin tosses to Paris Saint-Germain before eventually being beaten in the penalty shoot-out. Gabriel Magalhães missed the decisive kick, allowing the French champions to retain the European title.
The importance of the second toss was also evident during the memorable 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar. Argentina won the toss that determined the shooting end, enabling Lionel Messi’s side to take their penalties in front of thousands of their supporters at Lusail Stadium. France captain Hugo Lloris won the first toss and chose for his team to take the opening penalty.
Argentina ultimately prevailed in the shoot-out, with Gonzalo Montiel converting the decisive spot-kick to secure the country’s third World Cup title in one of the greatest finals in football history.
By shelving the proposed amendment, FIFA has chosen continuity over experimentation, ensuring that every remaining knockout fixture at the current World Cup will be decided under the same penalty shoot-out regulations that have been in place since the tournament began.
