Three World Cup finals have been decided from 12 yards. Brazil broke Italy’s heart in 1994, Italy returned the favor against France in 2006, and Argentina outlasted France in 2022 after a 3-3 draw that left nobody breathing. If the 2026 final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 goes the distance — 90 minutes, then 30 minutes of extra time, then still deadlocked — the trophy gets settled the same way.
Each team takes five penalties, alternating turns. Only the kicker and the goalkeeper participate; the rest of the squad waits in the center circle. The shootout can end early: if one team builds an insurmountable lead before all five rounds are complete, the referee calls it. If the score is level after five kicks each, sudden death begins — one team scores and the other misses, and it’s over. There is no cap on sudden-death rounds. Every eligible player on the field at the end of extra time must take a penalty before anyone gets a second attempt, and if one side has fewer players due to a red card or injury, it must reduce its numbers to match.
The longest shootout in World Cup history stretched to 24 penalties — South Korea over Spain, 5-3, in the 2002 quarterfinals after a goalless draw.
The officials running these matches are earning more than ever. FIFA does not publish its fee structure in an official table, but reporting puts a main referee’s baseline participation fee at $70,000 for the tournament, plus $3,000 per group-stage match and $10,000 per knockout match. Some reporting suggests top referees are guaranteed closer to $100,000 once appearance fees are factored in. For officials who work deep into the knockout rounds, total earnings could approach $300,000 once base fees, match fees, and late-stage bonuses are combined.
Assistant referees receive a $25,000 base fee, $2,500 per group-stage match, and $5,000 per knockout match. VAR officials are on a similar scale: $25,000 fixed, $3,000 per group match, $5,000 per knockout — a reflection of how central video review has become. FIFA also covers travel, accommodation, meals, and daily allowances for every official throughout the tournament.
Referee pay has climbed since Qatar 2022, where main referees earned the same $70,000 base but a flat $3,000 per match regardless of stage, and assistants received $25,000 plus $2,000 per match. The knockout per-match rate is where the 2026 numbers jump most noticeably.
The prize pool tells an even bigger story. FIFA is distributing $871 million in total prize money at this World Cup, up roughly 65% from the $440 million in 2022 — a direct result of expanding from 32 to 48 teams, which means more matches, more broadcast windows, and more sponsorship inventory.
The champion collects $50 million in performance-based prize money, an $8 million increase over what Argentina earned in Qatar and the largest single-tournament jump in World Cup history. Add the guaranteed qualification and preparation funding every team receives, and the winner’s total payout climbs past $60 million before any federation bonuses.
Every one of the 48 qualified teams is guaranteed at least $12.5 million — a $10 million qualification fee and $2.5 million in preparation funding — regardless of results. From there, performance payouts escalate: group-stage elimination is worth roughly $9 million in performance money; the new round of 32 pays about $12 million; the round of 16, $14 million; quarterfinals, $19–20 million; fourth place, $28 million; third place, $30 million; and the runner-up takes home $33–34 million.
Even teams knocked out in the group stage this summer will earn more in guaranteed and performance money combined than several past World Cup champions received for lifting the trophy outright.
- Yahoo Sports / The Sporting News — Penalty shootout rules
- Yahoo Sports / The Sporting News — Referee salary details
- Yahoo Sports / The Sporting News — Prize money breakdown