Penalty shootouts: EFL to trial 'ABBA' format in 2017-18

Huddersfield's Christopher SchindlerImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Huddersfield beat Reading on penalties in the Championship play-off final at Wembley in May

The "ABBA" format for penalty shootouts will be used in all English Football League competitions in 2017-18.

After an initial spot-kick, teams each take pairs of kicks in an attempt to reduce the pressure on the side taking the second kick in a shootout.

The system has already been used on a trial basis in some international tournaments by Uefa during the summer.

It will be implemented in all ties in the Carabao Cup, Checkatrade Trophy and EFL play-offs.

How does it work?

As the current system stands, teams take turns in a shootout, with the choice of who goes first decided by a coin toss.

For example, team A goes first, then team B, then team A again.

The new system sees team A followed by team B - before team B goes again. Team A would then get two successive penalties, a little like the tie-break in tennis, and so on until there is a winner.

A coin will still be tossed to decide who goes first.

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