Penalty Shootout Simulator
Simulate a penalty shootout between any two teams. Choose the outcome of each kick or let the simulator randomly decide. Features a live scoreboard, penalty-by-penalty history, sudden death rounds, and celebration effects. Completely free and runs in your browser.
How the Penalty Shootout Simulator Works
This interactive tool lets you simulate a full penalty shootout between any two football teams. You control every penalty kick by choosing whether it is a goal, a save by the goalkeeper, or a miss off target. Alternatively, click Random and the simulator will generate a realistic outcome weighted toward the statistical averages of real penalty shootouts.
The random outcome follows real-world penalty statistics: approximately 75% of penalties result in a goal, 15% are saved by the goalkeeper, and 10% miss the target entirely. These probabilities are based on data from decades of professional football penalties.
Rules of a Penalty Shootout
Each team takes five penalties in alternating order. If the scores are level after five rounds, the shootout enters sudden death. In sudden death, each team takes one penalty per round, and the first team to score while the other misses (or vice versa) wins. The simulator handles all of this automatically, including mathematically eliminating a team early if they cannot catch up.
Famous UCL Penalty Shootouts
The Champions League has produced some of the most dramatic penalty shootouts in football history. The 2005 final between Liverpool and AC Milan in Istanbul is widely regarded as the greatest, with Liverpool winning 3-2 on penalties after coming back from 3-0 down. Chelsea defeated Bayern Munich on penalties in the 2012 final at the Allianz Arena, and Manchester United beat Chelsea in the 2008 final in Moscow.
Penalty Statistics
Historically, the team that shoots first in a penalty shootout wins approximately 60% of the time. Right-footed players tend to aim for the left side of the goal, and goalkeepers dive to the right slightly more often. Penalty conversion rates in the Champions League average around 75-78%, slightly higher than domestic leagues due to the caliber of players involved.
Tips for Simulating
Try simulating famous historical shootouts by following the real results penalty by penalty. Or run multiple random simulations to see how often each team wins. Share your results with friends and settle those pub debates about which team would win.
Penalty Simulator: World Cup 2026 Knockout Format Explained
Every knockout match at the FIFA World Cup 2026 (Round of 32 onward) that is level after 90 minutes plus 30 minutes of extra time is decided by a penalty shootout under IFAB Laws of the Game. Each team takes five penalties in an ABAB order, with the coin toss deciding who kicks first. If one side is mathematically ahead before all five are taken, the shootout ends immediately. FIFA introduced the mandatory penalty entrance protocol at the 2022 World Cup: kickers must place the ball on the spot within 10 seconds, and the goalkeeper must keep at least one foot on the goal line at the moment of the kick — video review can order a retake if the keeper strays. Use this penalty simulator to model any 2026 knockout matchup using the ABAB order, then flip to sudden death if scores are tied 5-5. Source: IFAB Laws of the Game — Kicks from the Penalty Mark. Updated 2026-07-13.
Penalty Simulator vs Real World Cup 2026 Odds
Historical penalty conversion at World Cup finals sits at 71% overall (Opta 2022 dataset) — 4 points lower than the 75% club-football average because national keepers face unfamiliar kickers. First-shooter win rate at senior World Cups since 2006 is 60% (12 of 20 shootouts). If you run this penalty simulator 100 times using default 75% goal / 15% save / 10% miss, expect roughly 55-65 wins for whichever team you assign the first kick — matching real tournament data. To model a specific 2026 knockout matchup more accurately, drop the goal probability to 70% for high-pressure semi-final or final scenarios, and lift the save rate to 20% if either team's starting keeper ranks top 5 in FIFA World Rankings.
Predict the 2026/27 final tables
Following the new season? Drag all the clubs into your predicted finishing order with our Premier League table predictor, Bundesliga table predictor, La Liga table predictor and Serie A table predictor, then come back each matchweek to see how your prediction is holding up against the real table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the random penalty outcome work?
The random button generates outcomes based on real penalty statistics: 75% chance of a goal, 15% chance of a save, and 10% chance of a miss. These probabilities reflect actual professional football penalty conversion rates.
What happens if the score is tied after 5 rounds?
The simulator enters sudden death mode, just like a real penalty shootout. Each team takes one penalty per round, and if one team scores while the other does not, the scoring team wins immediately.
Can the shootout end before 5 rounds?
Yes. If one team builds an insurmountable lead and the other team cannot mathematically catch up even by scoring all remaining penalties, the simulator declares a winner early.
Can I simulate real historical penalty shootouts?
Absolutely. Enter the real team names and then manually select goal, save, or miss for each penalty to recreate any historical shootout. Try recreating the 2005 Istanbul final or the 2012 Chelsea vs Bayern final.
Is there a limit to sudden death rounds?
No. The simulator continues sudden death rounds indefinitely until one team wins, just like real football rules. The longest recorded shootout in professional football went to 48 penalties.
What penalty shootout rules apply at the FIFA World Cup 2026?
World Cup 2026 knockout matches level after 30 minutes of extra time go to a penalty shootout under IFAB Laws of the Game — 5 penalties per team in ABAB order, then sudden death if tied. Kickers must place the ball within 10 seconds; goalkeepers must keep at least one foot on the goal line at the moment of the kick, or VAR can order a retake. First-shooter historically wins about 60% of senior World Cup shootouts (12 of 20 since 2006).
How accurate is the 75/15/10 default in this penalty simulator vs real World Cup data?
The 75% goal / 15% save / 10% miss default matches club-football averages. Real World Cup finals conversion is closer to 71% (Opta 2022 dataset) because national goalkeepers face unfamiliar kickers. For a more realistic 2026 knockout model, drop the goal probability to 70% for semi-finals and finals, and lift saves to 20% if either team starts a top-5 FIFA-ranked keeper.