A penalty shootout is supposed to bring a football match to a quick and dramatic conclusion. After 90 minutes, and sometimes another 30 minutes of extra time, players normally expect the tension to end within a few rounds from the penalty spot. Five players from each side usually take their turns, and if the scores remain level, the shootout moves into sudden death.
But what happens when neither team can find a winner?
That question was answered in extraordinary fashion in Israel in May 2024. SC Dimona and Shimshon Tel Aviv produced the longest penalty shootout in football history, with 56 penalty kicks taken in total. Dimona eventually won 23–22 after each team had taken 28 penalties. The shootout came after their promotion playoff match finished 2–2 following extra time.
The match became memorable not because of a spectacular goal during normal play, but because the players simply refused to lose from the penalty spot. Kick after kick was taken, missed, saved or converted, yet the teams continued matching each other until the 56th attempt finally settled the contest.
What Is the Longest Penalty Shootout in Football?
The current world record for the longest penalty shootout is 56 penalty kicks.
The record was set by SC Dimona and Shimshon Tel Aviv in a third-tier Israeli promotion playoff on May 20, 2024. The match itself finished 2–2 after extra time. During the shootout, Dimona eventually prevailed 23–22. Each team took 28 kicks.
Here are the key details:
| Category | Record Details |
|---|---|
| Teams | SC Dimona vs Shimshon Tel Aviv |
| Country | Israel |
| Competition | Third-tier promotion playoff |
| Score after extra time | 2–2 |
| Penalty shootout score | Dimona 23–22 Shimshon Tel Aviv |
| Total penalties | 56 |
| Penalties per team | 28 |
| Winning kick | Dimona goalkeeper saved the final attempt |
| Previous record | 54 penalties |
| Year of record | 2024 |
The numbers make the shootout particularly remarkable. A normal five-round shootout would involve only 10 kicks if every player scored. This one required 56 attempts, which means the teams went through the regular five rounds and then continued for another 46 kicks.
SC Dimona vs Shimshon Tel Aviv
The record-breaking game was a semifinal promotion playoff in Israel’s third tier. The two teams were fighting for an opportunity to move closer to promotion, so there was plenty at stake before the penalty drama even began.
Neither side could separate itself during the match. After 90 minutes, the score was level, and extra time did not produce a winner either. The final score after 120 minutes was 2–2, forcing the players into a penalty shootout.
At that stage, nobody could have expected what was about to happen.
The opening penalties created the possibility of a short shootout, but the teams repeatedly remained level. There were misses along the way, yet neither side could take advantage of the other team’s mistakes for long.
Eventually, the shootout moved far beyond the usual five rounds.
Players who had probably never expected to take a penalty under such circumstances had to step forward. Outfield players continued taking kicks, and eventually even the goalkeepers became part of the penalty sequence.
The final decision came with the 56th penalty. Shimshon Tel Aviv’s goalkeeper stepped up to take the kick, but SC Dimona goalkeeper Gal Navon saved it. That save gave Dimona a 23–22 victory and ended one of the most remarkable shootouts ever seen.
How Long Did the Shootout Last?
The entire game reportedly took more than three hours, while the penalty shootout itself lasted roughly 45 minutes.
That is an incredible amount of time to spend standing around the penalty area waiting for one kick after another.
A simple calculation shows why.
56 total penalties ÷ 2 teams = 28 penalties per team.
If we imagine that each penalty, including the walk-up, preparation, kick and reset, takes roughly 30–60 seconds, dozens of kicks can quickly turn into a long sequence. The pressure also increases because players have to wait for their next opportunity while watching teammates and opponents take their turns.
This was not simply a physical challenge. It was a mental test.
Why Did the Shootout Continue for So Long?
Penalty shootouts normally consist of five kicks per team. However, those five rounds do not guarantee an immediate winner.
The basic process is straightforward:
- Each team selects five players.
- The teams take penalties alternately.
- If one team has an unbeatable lead before all five rounds are complete, the shootout ends.
- If the teams are level after five penalties each, they continue.
- The shootout enters what is commonly called sudden death.
- Each side takes one penalty per round.
- The first team to score while its opponent fails to match the result wins.
In the Dimona-Sshimshon Tel Aviv match, the teams repeatedly stayed close enough that the shootout could not be decided.
That is the strange beauty of penalty shootouts. One missed kick can end everything, but if both teams continue responding successfully, the contest can theoretically go on for a very long time.
The Previous Record: 54 Penalties
Before the Israeli match, the record for the longest penalty shootout stood at 54 penalties.
That record was established in England in March 2022 when Washington defeated Bedlington 25–24 in the Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup. The competition involved clubs from the Northern League Second Division, which is part of the lower levels of the English football pyramid.
The comparison is interesting:
| Match | Total Penalties | Shootout Result |
|---|---|---|
| Washington vs Bedlington, 2022 | 54 | Washington 25–24 |
| SC Dimona vs Shimshon Tel Aviv, 2024 | 56 | Dimona 23–22 |
The Israeli match therefore broke the previous record by 2 penalty kicks.
Record Calculation
New record − previous record
56 − 54 = 2
So, although two extra kicks may not sound like a huge difference, reaching that point means both teams had to survive another round of extreme pressure.
The Strange Difference Between 23–22 and 25–24
At first glance, someone might wonder how a shootout ending 23–22 can be longer than one ending 25–24.
The answer is simple: the important statistic is the total number of kicks, not the final number of successful penalties.
In Dimona’s shootout:
23 successful kicks + 22 successful kicks = 45 goals
But there were:
28 kicks by Dimona + 28 kicks by Shimshon = 56 total kicks
That means several attempts were missed or saved.
The previous Washington-Bedlington shootout had a final score of 25–24, but it required 54 total attempts.
This is why a lower shootout score can still represent a longer contest.
Goalkeepers Became Part of the Drama
One of the most unusual aspects of an extremely long penalty shootout is that the goalkeeper can eventually be required to take a penalty.
Normally, goalkeepers spend the shootout trying to save shots. They are not usually among the first five penalty takers.
However, when every eligible outfield player has already taken a penalty and the contest continues, players may have to take additional kicks according to the competition’s procedures. Goalkeepers can therefore find themselves walking toward the penalty spot.
That is exactly what made the final stage of the Dimona-Sshimshon shootout so memorable.
The decisive penalty was taken by Shimshon Tel Aviv’s goalkeeper. Gal Navon saved the attempt, ending the shootout and securing Dimona’s victory.
Imagine the pressure.
A goalkeeper had spent the match trying to stop the opposition from scoring. Then, after dozens of penalties, he had to become a penalty taker himself. His attempt was saved, and the opposing goalkeeper became the hero.
A Penalty Shootout Is More Than a Test of Skill
Penalty kicks look simple from the outside.
The ball is placed on the spot. The goalkeeper stands on the goal line. The player runs toward the ball and attempts to score.
But the mental side of the situation is enormous.
The player knows that thousands of people may be watching. Teammates are standing nearby. The opposing goalkeeper is trying to predict the direction of the shot. One mistake can eliminate a team from a competition.
Now imagine repeating that process dozens of times.
The longer a shootout continues, the more difficult it becomes to maintain concentration. Players have to control their breathing, ignore the noise around them and choose where to shoot.
A missed penalty can also create a huge emotional swing. One team may believe it has the advantage, only for its own player to miss on the following kick.
The 56-kick record demonstrates just how unpredictable penalty shootouts can become.
The UEFA Record Is Different
It is also important to distinguish the world record from records in specific competitions.
In August 2024, Ajax and Panathinaikos produced a remarkable shootout in UEFA Europa League qualifying. Ajax eventually won 13–12 after 34 penalty kicks. That became a UEFA competition record at the time.
The numbers were impressive, but the shootout was still considerably shorter than the 56-kick world record.
The comparison looks like this:
| Record | Total Penalties |
|---|---|
| World record | 56 |
| UEFA record set by Ajax vs Panathinaikos | 34 |
| Previous English record | 54 |
Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer was particularly important in that shootout, making several saves and even scoring from his own penalty.
This shows that extraordinary shootouts can happen at different levels of football, from lower divisions to major European competitions.
Why Penalty Shootouts Are So Unpredictable
There is no guarantee that the team with the better players will win a shootout.
A penalty kick is a very specific situation. A world-class striker can miss. A goalkeeper who has had a poor match can suddenly become the hero.
There are several reasons for this uncertainty:
1. Pressure
The psychological pressure can affect technique. A player who normally scores easily may overthink the shot.
2. Goalkeeper Decisions
Goalkeepers have to decide whether to dive left, right or stay central. A correct decision can produce a save.
3. Fatigue
If penalties are taken after 120 minutes, players are already tired.
4. Confidence
One successful kick can boost confidence, while a miss can create doubt.
5. Changing Responsibility
In a very long shootout, players who never expected to take a penalty may suddenly have to accept responsibility.
These factors combine to make penalty shootouts one of football’s most dramatic forms of deciding a tied match.
What Makes the 56-Kick Record So Special?
The SC Dimona and Shimshon Tel Aviv shootout is remarkable because of its sheer length.
A total of 56 penalties means:
- 28 players’ attempts for each side.
- 45 successful kicks.
- 11 missed or saved attempts.
- A final difference of only one successful penalty.
- More than five times the number of kicks in a standard five-per-team shootout.
The mathematics tells the story.
28 kicks per team × 2 teams = 56 total kicks
And:
23 goals + 22 goals = 45 successful penalties
Therefore:
56 total kicks − 45 successful penalties = 11 unsuccessful attempts
Those 11 misses or saves were what kept the shootout moving toward an extraordinary conclusion.
Could the Record Be Broken?
Absolutely.
There is nothing in the normal concept of a penalty shootout that makes 56 the theoretical maximum. If teams continue converting and matching one another, the shootout can continue well beyond five rounds.
That is why records like this are so fascinating. A new record could potentially be created whenever a match remains level for an unusually long sequence.
However, breaking the record would require an even more extreme combination of circumstances. Both teams would need to remain close throughout the shootout, with enough successful kicks to avoid an early defeat.
For now, 56 penalties remains the benchmark.
Final Thoughts
The longest penalty shootout in football history took place in Israel when SC Dimona defeated Shimshon Tel Aviv 23–22 after 56 penalty kicks. The match had finished 2–2 after extra time, but the real drama came afterward.
Each team took 28 penalties. The players kept stepping forward despite the enormous pressure. Eventually, the shootout reached the goalkeepers, and the final attempt was saved by SC Dimona’s Gal Navon.
The previous record had been 54 kicks, set in England in 2022. Dimona and Shimshon Tel Aviv surpassed it by two attempts and created one of the strangest records in football.
Penalty shootouts are often described as a lottery, but a record-breaking shootout is also a test of concentration, courage and nerve. Every player knows that one kick can decide everything. In this case, 55 kicks were not enough to separate the teams.
It took 56.
And that is what makes the Dimona-Sshimshon Tel Aviv shootout so unforgettable: after 120 minutes of football and dozens of penalty attempts, the entire match finally came down to one goalkeeper, one shot and one save.
