What the Referee's Coin Toss Actually Decides (It's Not What Most Fans Think)

No, the winner doesn't automatically kick off. The truth is stranger.

<p>Every match this summer opens the same way: two captains, one referee, one small coin. Ask most fans what it decides and they'll get it wrong.</p>

<p>The toss winner doesn't take the kickoff by default. The winner chooses either which goal to attack in the first half — or whether to take the opening kickoff. The loser gets whatever's left.</p>

<p>Why would anyone pass up the ball? Sun angle, wind direction, and which end holds your loudest fans in the second half can matter more than first touch.</p>

<p>In knockout rounds, a coin can even decide which team shoots first in a shootout. A disc of metal, quietly shaping the biggest games on earth.</p>