Football fans, brace yourselves—the beautiful game is about to undergo some radical changes. In a bold move, FIFA has confirmed that penalty shootout rebounds will be scrapped at the 2026 World Cup, marking one of the biggest rule adjustments in recent history.
What’s Changing?
Under the new regulations, if a penalty is saved or hits the post during a shootout, the attacking team will no longer get a second chance to score from the rebound. Instead, the play will be dead immediately, putting even more pressure on penalty takers to deliver.
VAR Expansion
But that’s not all. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system is also set for a major expansion, with referees gaining more authority to intervene in key match decisions. This includes tighter offside calls and increased scrutiny over fouls in the penalty area.
Why the Change?
FIFA argues that removing rebounds will make shootouts fairer and faster, reducing the element of luck. Meanwhile, the expanded VAR powers aim to minimise controversial decisions that have plagued recent tournaments.
Football purists may debate the impact, but one thing’s certain: the 2026 World Cup will look very different from what we’re used to.
