Women’s World Cup 2023: how do penalty kick shoot-outs work?

As the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand, fans around the globe are eagerly anticipating the thrilling matchups that will unfold on the pitch. With a record-breaking 32 teams participating in this edition, the stakes are higher than ever, promising an epic tournament Down Under.

Getting us going with the opening group game are hosts New Zealand against tournament dark horses Norway.

Once the group stage concludes -- three points for a win and one for a tie -- games in the knockout stage will commence, pitting the top two teams from each group against each other. However, what happens when two teams can’t be separated after the regulation 90 minutes are up? Let’s take a look...

Women’s World Cup: extra time and penalties

In the event of a tie after the whistle blows following 90 minutes plus any additional time the referee deems necessary, the match enters a 30-minute period of extra time. This extra time is divided into two 15-minute halves, giving both teams a chance to break the deadlock and secure their spot in the next phase. The pressure builds, and every second counts as players battle it out to avoid the dreaded penalty shoot-out. That said, it’s here where an underdog may hold out for the spot kicks, believing it to be more of a lottery than open play.

Each captain bears the responsibility of selecting the initial five players for penalty kicks and determining the order in which they will take their shots. During this phase, only the penalty taker and both goalkeepers are permitted to remain within the penalty area, while all other players must position themselves in the center-circle or behind the halfway line.

The spot kicks are taken alternately by each team until both have completed the five shots, or until it becomes impossible for one team to surpass the other in the best-of-five series. For example, if one team successfully converts their first three penalties, while the other team misses their first three, the shoot-out concludes at that point.

If, after both teams have taken five penalties, the scores remain tied, the shootout will proceed to sudden death. In this phase, both teams will continue to take one penalty each until either a player misses the target or their shot gets saved. The winner will be the team that has scored the most goals from the same number of kicks.

If you’re interest in the science behind penalty kicks then this is for you.

USWNT targets three-peat

For the defending champions, the USA, the stakes are higher than ever. Following their triumphs at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 and 2019, the Stars and Stripes have their eyes set on making history yet again. They aim to become the first nation ever to lift three consecutive World Cup titles cementing their legacy on the global stage.