FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest football tournament in history — and it isn't close. For the first time ever, 48 national teams will compete across 104 matches, spread over 16 stadiums in three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. That's 40 more games than the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which itself drew more than five billion viewers worldwide and became one of the most-watched events in human history. The football world cup date you need locked in: June 11 to July 19, 2026.
For fans in India, the world cup 2026 schedule means a lot of late-night and early-morning viewing. Most group stage kick-offs fall between 11:30 PM and 5:30 AM IST, depending on the US time zone of the host city. Plan your sleep schedule accordingly — the big games are worth it.
Bet on World Cup 2026 matches at 1xBet — live odds on all 104 games, group stage to final. View World Cup odds →
When Does the FIFA World Cup 2026 Start?
The tournament opens on June 11, 2026, with Mexico vs. South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Kick-off is set for 3:00 PM ET (12:30 AM IST on June 12). That's the world cup start date and the first of 104 matches on the 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule.
The fifa world cup start date at Estadio Azteca is no coincidence — Mexico's legendary ground hosted both the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals, making it one of the most storied venues in football. At the other end of the tournament, the FIFA World Cup 2026 final date is July 19, 2026 — a Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with kick-off at 3:00 PM ET (12:30 AM IST on July 20).
Match times vary significantly by venue and host country time zone, from ET on the East Coast to PT on the West Coast. For Indian viewers, that spread means anything from around 11:30 PM to 5:00 AM IST. The 2026 fifa world cup start date is firm; individual match times for later rounds may shift slightly as broadcast scheduling is confirmed. The fifa world cup 2026 final date, however, is locked.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule
The group stage runs from June 11 to June 27, 2026 — 17 days of football across all three host countries. All 48 teams are placed into 12 groups (A through L), each containing four teams. Every team plays three group-stage matches, and the top two sides from each group advance automatically to the Round of 32. Beyond that, the eight best third-placed finishers also qualify, meaning 32 teams survive the group stage in total.
The draw was finalised on December 5, 2025, following the conclusion of all qualifying matches on March 31, 2026. The world cup 2026 fixtures for the group stage cover six venues simultaneously on the busiest matchdays.
Watch every group stage game with live 1xBet odds. Pre-match and in-play markets open for all 72 fixtures. See group stage betting lines →
Group A — Mexico, Korea Republic, South Africa, Czechia
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 11 | Mexico vs South Africa | Mexico City | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 12, 12:30 AM |
June 11 | Korea Republic vs Czechia | Guadalajara | 10:00 PM ET | Jun 12, 7:30 AM |
June 18 | Czechia vs South Africa | Atlanta | 12:00 PM ET | Jun 18, 9:30 PM |
June 18 | Mexico vs Korea Republic | Guadalajara | 9:00 PM ET | Jun 19, 6:30 AM |
June 24 | Czechia vs Mexico | Mexico City | 9:00 PM ET | Jun 25, 6:30 AM |
June 24 | South Africa vs Korea Republic | Monterrey | 9:00 PM ET | Jun 25, 6:30 AM |
Group B — Canada, Switzerland, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 12 | Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina | Toronto | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 13, 12:30 AM |
June 13 | Qatar vs Switzerland | San Francisco | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 14, 12:30 AM |
June 18 | Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 19, 12:30 AM |
June 18 | Canada vs Qatar | Vancouver | 6:00 PM ET | Jun 19, 3:30 AM |
June 24 | Switzerland vs Canada | Vancouver | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 25, 12:30 AM |
June 24 | Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar | Seattle | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 25, 12:30 AM |
Group C — Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 13 | Brazil vs Morocco | New York/NJ | 6:00 PM ET | Jun 14, 3:30 AM |
June 13 | Haiti vs Scotland | Boston | 9:00 PM ET | Jun 14, 6:30 AM |
June 19 | Scotland vs Morocco | Boston | 6:00 PM ET | Jun 20, 3:30 AM |
June 19 | Brazil vs Haiti | Philadelphia | 8:30 PM ET | Jun 20, 6:00 AM |
June 24 | Scotland vs Brazil | Miami | 6:00 PM ET | Jun 25, 3:30 AM |
June 24 | Morocco vs Haiti | Atlanta | 6:00 PM ET | Jun 25, 3:30 AM |
Group D — USA, Australia, Paraguay, Türkiye
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 12 | USA vs Paraguay | Los Angeles | 9:00 PM ET | Jun 13, 6:30 AM |
June 14 | Australia vs Türkiye | Vancouver | 12:00 AM ET | Jun 14, 9:30 AM |
June 19 | USA vs Australia | Seattle | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 20, 12:30 AM |
June 20 | Türkiye vs Paraguay | San Francisco | 12:00 AM ET | Jun 20, 9:30 AM |
June 25 | Türkiye vs USA | Los Angeles | 10:00 PM ET | Jun 26, 7:30 AM |
June 25 | Paraguay vs Australia | San Francisco | 10:00 PM ET | Jun 26, 7:30 AM |
Group E — Germany, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Curaçao
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 14 | Germany vs Curaçao | Houston | 1:00 PM ET | Jun 14, 10:30 PM |
June 14 | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador | Philadelphia | 7:00 PM ET | Jun 15, 4:30 AM |
June 20 | Germany vs Ivory Coast | Toronto | 4:00 PM ET | Jun 21, 1:30 AM |
June 20 | Ecuador vs Curaçao | Kansas City | 8:00 PM ET | Jun 21, 5:30 AM |
June 25 | Ecuador vs Germany | New York/NJ | 4:00 PM ET | Jun 26, 1:30 AM |
June 25 | Curaçao vs Ivory Coast | Philadelphia | 4:00 PM ET | Jun 26, 1:30 AM |
Group F — Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 14 | Netherlands vs Japan | Dallas | 4:00 PM ET | Jun 15, 1:30 AM |
June 14 | Sweden vs Tunisia | Monterrey | 10:00 PM ET | Jun 15, 7:30 AM |
June 20 | Netherlands vs Sweden | Houston | 1:00 PM ET | Jun 20, 10:30 PM |
June 21 | Tunisia vs Japan | Monterrey | 12:00 AM ET | Jun 21, 9:30 AM |
June 25 | Japan vs Sweden | Dallas | 7:00 PM ET | Jun 26, 4:30 AM |
June 25 | Tunisia vs Netherlands | Kansas City | 7:00 PM ET | Jun 26, 4:30 AM |
Group G — Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 15 | Belgium vs Egypt | Seattle | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 16, 12:30 AM |
June 15 | Iran vs New Zealand | Los Angeles | 9:00 PM ET | Jun 16, 6:30 AM |
June 21 | Belgium vs Iran | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 22, 12:30 AM |
June 21 | New Zealand vs Egypt | Vancouver | 9:00 PM ET | Jun 22, 6:30 AM |
June 26 | Egypt vs Iran | Seattle | 11:00 PM ET | Jun 27, 8:30 AM |
June 26 | New Zealand vs Belgium | Vancouver | 11:00 PM ET | Jun 27, 8:30 AM |
Group H — Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 15 | Spain vs Cape Verde | Atlanta | 12:00 PM ET | Jun 15, 9:30 PM |
June 15 | Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay | Miami | 6:00 PM ET | Jun 16, 3:30 AM |
June 21 | Spain vs Saudi Arabia | Atlanta | 12:00 PM ET | Jun 21, 9:30 PM |
June 21 | Uruguay vs Cape Verde | Miami | 6:00 PM ET | Jun 22, 3:30 AM |
June 26 | Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia | Houston | 8:00 PM ET | Jun 27, 5:30 AM |
June 26 | Uruguay vs Spain | Guadalajara | 8:00 PM ET | Jun 27, 5:30 AM |
Group I — France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 16 | France vs Senegal | New York/NJ | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 17, 12:30 AM |
June 16 | Iraq vs Norway | Boston | 6:00 PM ET | Jun 17, 3:30 AM |
June 22 | France vs Iraq | Philadelphia | 5:00 PM ET | Jun 23, 2:30 AM |
June 22 | Norway vs Senegal | New York/NJ | 8:00 PM ET | Jun 23, 5:30 AM |
June 26 | Norway vs France | Boston | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 27, 12:30 AM |
June 26 | Senegal vs Iraq | Toronto | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 27, 12:30 AM |
Group J — Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 16 | Argentina vs Algeria | Kansas City | 9:00 PM ET | Jun 17, 6:30 AM |
June 17 | Austria vs Jordan | San Francisco | 12:00 AM ET | Jun 17, 9:30 AM |
June 22 | Argentina vs Austria | Dallas | 1:00 PM ET | Jun 22, 10:30 PM |
June 22 | Jordan vs Algeria | San Francisco | 11:00 PM ET | Jun 23, 8:30 AM |
June 27 | Jordan vs Argentina | Dallas | 10:00 PM ET | Jun 28, 7:30 AM |
June 27 | Algeria vs Austria | Kansas City | 10:00 PM ET | Jun 28, 7:30 AM |
Group K — Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 17 | Portugal vs DR Congo | Houston | 1:00 PM ET | Jun 17, 10:30 PM |
June 17 | Uzbekistan vs Colombia | Mexico City | 10:00 PM ET | Jun 18, 7:30 AM |
June 23 | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Houston | 1:00 PM ET | Jun 23, 10:30 PM |
June 23 | Colombia vs DR Congo | Guadalajara | 10:00 PM ET | Jun 24, 7:30 AM |
June 27 | Colombia vs Portugal | Miami | 7:30 PM ET | Jun 28, 5:00 AM |
June 27 | DR Congo vs Uzbekistan | Atlanta | 7:30 PM ET | Jun 28, 5:00 AM |
Group L — England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
June 17 | England vs Croatia | Dallas | 4:00 PM ET | Jun 18, 1:30 AM |
June 17 | Ghana vs Panama | Toronto | 7:00 PM ET | Jun 18, 4:30 AM |
June 23 | England vs Ghana | Boston | 4:00 PM ET | Jun 24, 1:30 AM |
June 23 | Panama vs Croatia | Toronto | 7:00 PM ET | Jun 24, 4:30 AM |
June 27 | Panama vs England | New York/NJ | 5:00 PM ET | Jun 28, 2:30 AM |
June 27 | Croatia vs Ghana | Philadelphia | 5:00 PM ET | Jun 28, 2:30 AM |
Key Opening Match Fixtures
The world cup match schedule kicks off with a heavyweight opener. Mexico vs. South Africa on June 11 at 3:00 PM ET at Estadio Azteca is the ceremonial start — but the fixtures world cup fans will circle come thick and fast in the days after.
Group I brings one of the most mouth-watering early games: France vs. Senegal. It's a rematch loaded with history, with several Senegal players now lining up against the country many of them play club football in. Group J is arguably the group of the tournament — Argentina vs. Algeria is a clash of continental champions, with La Albiceleste defending their 2022 crown against a side that won AFCON.
Over in Group K, Portugal vs. DR Congo opens what should be a tricky group for Ronaldo and company. And Group L gives English fans an immediate test: England vs. Croatia, a fixture that's become a modern World Cup staple after clashes in 2018 and 2022. All of these match-ups form the early backbone of the football world cup schedule — and that's before knockout pressure even arrives.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage Schedule
The knockout rounds begin on June 28, 2026, and run through to the final on July 19. That's 32 matches across 21 days — and the entire stage, from the Round of 16 onward, is played exclusively in the United States.
The big structural difference in 2026 is the brand-new Round of 32. The expanded 48-team format means the knockout bracket starts one round earlier than in previous tournaments. Thirty-two teams qualify from the group stage: the top two from each of the 12 groups (24 teams), plus the eight best third-placed finishers.
Knockout football hits different. Round of 32 to the Final — back your team to go all the way with 1xBet. Explore knockout stage odds →
Round of 32 — June 28 – July 3
Match | Date | Matchup | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
M73 | June 28 | 2nd Group A vs 2nd Group B | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM ET | Jun 29, 12:30 AM |
M76 | June 29 | 1st Group C vs 2nd Group F | Houston | 1:00 PM ET | Jun 29, 10:30 PM |
M74 | June 29 | 1st Group E vs 3rd (A/B/C/D/F) | Boston | 4:30 PM ET | Jun 30, 2:00 AM |
M75 | June 29 | 1st Group F vs 2nd Group C | Monterrey | 9:00 PM ET | Jun 30, 6:30 AM |
M78 | June 30 | 2nd Group E vs 2nd Group I | Dallas | 1:00 PM ET | Jun 30, 10:30 PM |
M77 | June 30 | 1st Group I vs 3rd (C/D/F/G/H) | New York/NJ | 5:00 PM ET | Jul 1, 2:30 AM |
M79 | June 30 | 1st Group A vs 3rd (C/E/F/H/I) | Mexico City | 9:00 PM ET | Jul 1, 6:30 AM |
M80 | July 1 | 1st Group L vs 3rd (E/H/I/J/K) | Atlanta | 12:00 PM ET | Jul 1, 9:30 PM |
M82 | July 1 | 1st Group G vs 3rd (A/E/H/I/J) | Seattle | 4:00 PM ET | Jul 2, 1:30 AM |
M81 | July 1 | 1st Group D vs 3rd (B/E/F/I/J) | San Francisco | 8:00 PM ET | Jul 2, 5:30 AM |
M84 | July 2 | 1st Group H vs 2nd Group J | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM ET | Jul 3, 12:30 AM |
M83 | July 2 | 2nd Group K vs 2nd Group L | Toronto | 7:00 PM ET | Jul 3, 4:30 AM |
M85 | July 2 | 1st Group B vs 3rd (E/F/G/I/J) | Vancouver | 11:00 PM ET | Jul 3, 8:30 AM |
M88 | July 3 | 2nd Group D vs 2nd Group G | Dallas | 2:00 PM ET | Jul 3, 11:30 PM |
M86 | July 3 | 1st Group J vs 2nd Group H | Miami | 6:00 PM ET | Jul 4, 3:30 AM |
M87 | July 3 | 1st Group K vs 3rd (D/E/I/J/L) | Kansas City | 9:30 PM ET | Jul 4, 7:00 AM |
3rd-place wildcard pairings confirmed by FIFA Matrix after group stage.
Round of 16 — July 4–7
Match | Date | Matchup | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
M90 | July 4 | Winner M73 vs Winner M75 | Houston | 1:00 PM ET | Jul 4, 10:30 PM |
M89 | July 4 | Winner M74 vs Winner M77 | Philadelphia | 5:00 PM ET | Jul 5, 2:30 AM |
M91 | July 5 | Winner M76 vs Winner M78 | New York/NJ | 4:00 PM ET | Jul 6, 1:30 AM |
M92 | July 5 | Winner M79 vs Winner M80 | Mexico City | 8:00 PM ET | Jul 6, 5:30 AM |
M93 | July 6 | Winner M83 vs Winner M84 | Dallas | 3:00 PM ET | Jul 7, 12:30 AM |
M94 | July 6 | Winner M81 vs Winner M82 | Seattle | 8:00 PM ET | Jul 7, 5:30 AM |
M95 | July 7 | Winner M86 vs Winner M88 | Atlanta | 12:00 PM ET | Jul 7, 9:30 PM |
M96 | July 7 | Winner M85 vs Winner M87 | Vancouver | 4:00 PM ET | Jul 8, 1:30 AM |
Quarter-finals — July 9–11
Match | Date | Matchup | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
M97 | July 9 | Winner M89 vs Winner M90 | Boston | 4:00 PM ET | Jul 10, 1:30 AM |
M98 | July 10 | Winner M93 vs Winner M94 | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM ET | Jul 11, 12:30 AM |
M99 | July 11 | Winner M91 vs Winner M92 | Miami | 5:00 PM ET | Jul 12, 2:30 AM |
M100 | July 11 | Winner M95 vs Winner M96 | Kansas City | 9:00 PM ET | Jul 12, 6:30 AM |
Semi-finals — July 14–15
Match | Date | Matchup | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
M101 | July 14 | Winner M97 vs Winner M98 | Dallas | 3:00 PM ET | Jul 15, 12:30 AM |
M102 | July 15 | Winner M99 vs Winner M100 | Atlanta | 3:00 PM ET | Jul 16, 12:30 AM |
Third-place match — July 18
Match | Date | Matchup | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
M103 | July 18 | Loser M101 vs Loser M102 | Miami | 5:00 PM ET | Jul 19, 2:30 AM |
FINAL — July 19
Match | Date | Matchup | Venue | Kick-off (ET) | Kick-off (IST) |
M104 | July 19 | Winner M101 vs Winner M102 | New York/NJ | 3:00 PM ET | Jul 20, 12:30 AM |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Venues
Sixteen stadiums. Three countries. One trophy. The 2026 World Cup schedule venue list is the most geographically spread in the history of the tournament, stretching from Vancouver in the northwest to Miami in the southeast — over 5,000 kilometres of host territory.
The USA carries the bulk of the load with 11 stadiums, including all semi-final and final venues. Mexico contributes three iconic grounds, headlined by Estadio Azteca for the world cup 2026 location schedule opener. Canada rounds out the host trio with Toronto and Vancouver.
TABLE 3 — Host Cities & Stadiums
Country | City | Stadium |
Mexico | Mexico City | Estadio Azteca |
Mexico | Zapopan | Estadio Akron |
Mexico | Monterrey | Estadio BBVA |
Canada | Toronto | BMO Field |
Canada | Vancouver | BC Place |
USA | New York / New Jersey | MetLife Stadium (Final) |
USA | Los Angeles | SoFi Stadium |
USA | Dallas | AT&T Stadium (Semi-final) |
USA | Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Semi-final) |
USA | Miami | Hard Rock Stadium (3rd place) |
USA | Houston | NRG Stadium |
USA | Kansas City | Arrowhead Stadium |
USA | Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field |
USA | Boston | Gillette Stadium |
USA | San Francisco | Levi's Stadium |
USA | Seattle | Lumen Field |
The 2026 world cup stadium schedule assigns the marquee final and semi-finals to the largest US markets. MetLife, home of the New York area's two NFL franchises, has a capacity of over 82,000. AT&T Stadium in Arlington and Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta are both covered venues — a useful buffer against the summer heat. The world cup schedule venue list across all 16 grounds is visible on the FIFA official site as match-by-match pairings are confirmed.
How to Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 in India
The 2022 FIFA World Cup drew more than five billion viewers globally, and India was a major contributor to that number. For 2026, broadcast rights in India are expected to be held by Sports18 and JioCinema — though fans should verify current rights holders closer to the tournament start, as deals can change. Note: writer to confirm official broadcaster before publication.
The world cup india schedule is shaped almost entirely by the time-zone gap. IST runs 9.5 hours ahead of ET and 12.5 hours ahead of PT. An afternoon kick-off in Los Angeles (4:00 PM PT) lands at 5:30 AM IST the following morning. Evening games on the US East Coast (7:00 PM ET) air at 4:30 AM IST. The most watchable world cup fixtures india fans will want to catch are likely the early ET afternoon slots — roughly 11:30 PM to 12:30 AM IST — which line up with late-evening viewing rather than a 3 AM alarm.
Key matches to prioritise for watchability: Group A and B games scheduled at noon ET (9:30 PM IST), and any fixtures played in Mexico City, where local afternoon kick-offs translate to around 11:30 PM IST.
FIFA World Cup 2026 — Key Dates at a Glance
TABLE 4 — Quick Reference
Milestone | Date |
Tournament start | June 11, 2026 |
Group stage ends | June 27, 2026 |
Round of 32 starts | June 28, 2026 |
Round of 16 starts | July 4, 2026 |
Quarter-finals | July 9–11, 2026 |
Semi-finals | July 14–15, 2026 |
Third-place match | July 18, 2026 |
World Cup Final | July 19, 2026 |
Host cities | 16 (USA × 11, Mexico × 3, Canada × 2) |
Total matches | 104 |
Total teams | 48 |
The world cup dates 2026 above cover every stage from opener to final. For fans building a viewing schedule, the 2026 world cup date range of June 11 to July 19 gives you 39 days of football — roughly five and a half weeks. Dates for world cup 2026 group matches are fully confirmed; world cup 2026 dates and times for individual knockout fixtures will be published by FIFA as brackets are determined.
Ready to bet on the World Cup? 1xBet covers every match with pre-match odds, live betting, and tournament winner markets. Open World Cup betting →
