HomeWorld Cup 2026 is complete. This page preserves the final hierarchy filed on 3 June 2026 and the evidence available at that point. Verified tournament penalty outcomes will be added as a separate audit layer rather than rewritten into the original call.
Germany penalty taker
Our final filed Germany hierarchy for World Cup 2026 had Kai Havertz first, with Joshua Kimmich as the closest backup.
Who is Germany's penalty taker?
Our final filed Germany hierarchy had Kai Havertz first, with Joshua Kimmich next in line.
Kai Havertz is now the best market-facing Germany primary. The strongest live evidence is the 30 March 2026 Ghana friendly: Havertz and Joshua Kimmich both started, and Havertz took and converted Germany's penalty. Havertz also publicly framed himself as Germany's usual penalty taker shortly before the World Cup, while still noting that Julian Nagelsmann had not published a rigid hierarchy. Kimmich remains the clear backup because he converted recent Germany penalties when Havertz was not on the pitch, including the World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg. Germany should still be treated as Havertz first if he starts, Kimmich next if Havertz is absent, subbed, or defers.
If you searched for Germany penalty taker, the hierarchy at the top is the final tournament-cycle answer we filed. The evidence trail underneath shows why that order was published.
Who takes penalties for Germany at World Cup 2026?
For World Cup 2026, the final filed order placed Kai Havertz first for Germany, with Joshua Kimmich as the closest backup.
Squad check: Kai Havertz and Joshua Kimmich are named in the 26-man World Cup squad.
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann Germany announced their final squad on May 21.
This section records the squad and hierarchy context that informed the published World Cup call.
Tournament outcomes are being checked separately so the original forecast remains distinguishable from the final event record.
Spot a hierarchy shift, a squad-specific wrinkle or a stronger team signal? Contact us here. If you are close to the Germany setup and have stronger information, that is exactly the kind of update we want.
Why the board looks like this
Internal hierarchy checks
We keep the public archive focused on the filed primary, closest backup and the match evidence that shaped the hierarchy.
The internal file stays broader so we can re-check squad context, event timing and backup pressure without turning the page into a raw research appendix.
More routes through the field
Follow the 2026/27 club hierarchies
The same evidence-first format now covers every current club in Europe's top five leagues, with provisional carryovers clearly labelled during preseason.