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FIFA Mulls NASL-Style Shootouts for 2026 World Cup Group Stage

Former Netherlands int'l Marco van Basten said that "FIFA is considering using shootouts in group-stage games at the 2026 World Cup and may revive the old" North American Soccer League-style penalties for the tournament, according to Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN.com. Van Basten, who became FIFA's chief officer for technical development in September, "is responsible for all technical areas from football technology innovation to refereeing." FIFA President Gianni Infantino has already received the "green light" for his plan to expand the World Cup to 48 teams from '26, with the group stage "set to involve 16 groups of three teams." However, three-team groups will "increase the prospect of sides contriving to play out a mutually convenient draw in the final group game," as well as "the possibility that they will be level on points and goals at the conclusion of the group." Van Basten said, "Shootouts could be an option for tournaments with groups of three in which you play against two opponents." FIFA may also "abandon static spot kicks" for the tournament in favor of a method "similar to that previously used in domestic soccer" in the U.S., first in the NASL in the '70s and '80s and then for a "brief period" in the '90s. Van Basten said that it is possible that the basic "best of five" would be retained but penalty takers would be positioned 25 meters from the goal line and then given eight seconds to score. However, he added that FIFA is "looking at several options, with shootouts just one example of what could be done if teams were level on points" (ESPN.com, 1/18).

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