The FIFA World Cup 2026 is the biggest football tournament ever held, featuring 48 teams competing across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Running from June 11 to July 19, 2026, this 39-day spectacular features 104 matches and is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams. Here’s everything you need to know about the complete schedule, groups, venues, and how to watch.
Tournament Overview#
| Detail | Information |
|---|
| Tournament | FIFA World Cup 2026 |
| Dates | June 11 – July 19, 2026 |
| Duration | 39 days |
| Teams | 48 (expanded from 32) |
| Matches | 104 |
| Host Countries | USA, Canada, Mexico |
| Host Cities | 16 cities across North America |
| Opening Match | Mexico vs South Africa – June 11 |
| Final | July 19 – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey |
| Format | 12 groups of 4, then Round of 32 knockout |
All 12 Groups – Teams#
| Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
|---|
| Group A | Mexico | South Korea | South Africa | Czechia |
| Group B | Canada | Switzerland | Qatar | Bosnia & Herzegovina |
| Group C | Brazil | Morocco | Scotland | Haiti |
| Group D | USA | Australia | Paraguay | Turkiye |
| Group E | Germany | Ecuador | Ivory Coast | Curacao |
| Group F | Netherlands | Japan | Tunisia | Sweden |
| Group G | Belgium | Iran | Egypt | New Zealand |
| Group H | Spain | Uruguay | Saudi Arabia | Cape Verde |
| Group I | France | Senegal | Norway | Iraq |
| Group J | Argentina | Austria | Algeria | Jordan |
| Group K | Portugal | Colombia | Uzbekistan | DR Congo |
| Group L | England | Croatia | Ghana | Panama |
16 Host Cities and Stadiums#
United States (11 Cities)#
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|
| Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 75,000 |
| Boston | Gillette Stadium | 65,000 |
| Dallas | AT&T Stadium | 94,000 |
| Houston | NRG Stadium | 72,000 |
| Kansas City | Arrowhead Stadium | 73,000 |
| Los Angeles | SoFi Stadium | 70,000 |
| Miami | Hard Rock Stadium | 65,000 |
| New York/New Jersey | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 |
| Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field | 69,000 |
| San Francisco | Levi’s Stadium | 71,000 |
| Seattle | Lumen Field | 69,000 |
Canada (2 Cities)#
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|
| Toronto | BMO Field | 45,000 |
| Vancouver | BC Place | 54,000 |
Mexico (3 Cities)#
| City | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|
| Mexico City | Estadio Azteca | 83,000 |
| Guadalajara | Estadio Akron | 48,000 |
| Monterrey | Estadio BBVA | 53,500 |
Full Group Stage Schedule#
Matchday 1 – June 11 to 19#
| Date | Match | Group | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Thu, Jun 11 | Mexico vs South Africa | Group A | Mexico City | 3:00 PM |
| Thu, Jun 11 | South Korea vs Czechia | Group A | Guadalajara | 10:00 PM |
| Fri, Jun 12 | Canada vs Bosnia & Herz. | Group B | Toronto | 3:00 PM |
| Fri, Jun 12 | USA vs Paraguay | Group D | Los Angeles | 9:00 PM |
| Sat, Jun 13 | Brazil vs Morocco | Group C | New York/NJ | 6:00 PM |
| Sat, Jun 13 | Qatar vs Switzerland | Group B | San Francisco | 12:00 PM |
| Sun, Jun 14 | Germany vs Curacao | Group E | Houston | 1:00 PM |
| Sun, Jun 14 | Netherlands vs Japan | Group F | Dallas | 4:00 PM |
| Sun, Jun 14 | Haiti vs Scotland | Group C | Boston | 7:00 PM |
| Sun, Jun 14 | Australia vs Turkiye | Group D | Vancouver | 10:00 PM |
| Mon, Jun 15 | Spain vs Cape Verde | Group H | Atlanta | 12:00 PM |
| Mon, Jun 15 | Belgium vs New Zealand | Group G | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM |
| Mon, Jun 15 | France vs Iraq | Group I | Philadelphia | 6:00 PM |
| Mon, Jun 15 | Iran vs Egypt | Group G | Seattle | 9:00 PM |
| Tue, Jun 16 | Argentina vs Jordan | Group J | Dallas | 3:00 PM |
| Tue, Jun 16 | France vs Senegal | Group I | New York/NJ | 6:00 PM |
| Tue, Jun 16 | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Group K | Miami | 9:00 PM |
| Wed, Jun 17 | England vs Croatia | Group L | Dallas | 3:00 PM |
| Wed, Jun 17 | Colombia vs DR Congo | Group K | Houston | 6:00 PM |
| Wed, Jun 17 | Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia | Group H | Philadelphia | 9:00 PM |
| Thu, Jun 18 | Mexico vs South Korea | Group A | Guadalajara | 9:00 PM |
| Thu, Jun 18 | Canada vs Qatar | Group B | Vancouver | 6:00 PM |
| Fri, Jun 19 | Brazil vs Haiti | Group C | Philadelphia | 9:00 PM |
| Fri, Jun 19 | USA vs Australia | Group D | Seattle | 3:00 PM |
Matchday 2 – June 20 to 25#
| Date | Match | Group | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Sat, Jun 20 | Morocco vs Haiti | Group C | Atlanta | 12:00 PM |
| Sat, Jun 20 | Tunisia vs Japan | Group F | Monterrey | 10:00 PM |
| Sun, Jun 21 | Germany vs Ecuador | Group E | New York/NJ | 3:00 PM |
| Sun, Jun 21 | Netherlands vs Tunisia | Group F | Kansas City | 6:00 PM |
| Sun, Jun 21 | Sweden vs Curacao | Group E | Dallas | 9:00 PM |
| Mon, Jun 22 | Bosnia & Herz. vs Qatar | Group B | Seattle | 3:00 PM |
| Mon, Jun 22 | Turkiye vs USA | Group D | Los Angeles | 9:00 PM |
| Tue, Jun 23 | England vs Ghana | Group L | Boston | 3:00 PM |
| Tue, Jun 23 | Argentina vs Algeria | Group J | Philadelphia | 6:00 PM |
| Tue, Jun 23 | Senegal vs Norway | Group I | New York/NJ | 9:00 PM |
| Wed, Jun 24 | Czechia vs Mexico | Group A | Mexico City | 9:00 PM |
| Wed, Jun 24 | Switzerland vs Canada | Group B | Vancouver | 3:00 PM |
| Wed, Jun 24 | Morocco vs Haiti | Group C | Atlanta | 6:00 PM |
| Thu, Jun 25 | Turkiye vs USA | Group D | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM |
| Thu, Jun 25 | Paraguay vs Australia | Group D | San Francisco | 10:00 PM |
Matchday 3 – June 26 to 27#
| Date | Match | Group | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Fri, Jun 26 | South Africa vs South Korea | Group A | Monterrey | 9:00 PM |
| Fri, Jun 26 | Scotland vs Brazil | Group C | Miami | 3:00 PM |
| Fri, Jun 26 | Iran vs New Zealand | Group G | Los Angeles | 6:00 PM |
| Sat, Jun 27 | Spain vs Saudi Arabia | Group H | Houston | 3:00 PM |
| Sat, Jun 27 | England vs Panama | Group L | New York/NJ | 6:00 PM |
| Sat, Jun 27 | Colombia vs Uzbekistan | Group K | Dallas | 9:00 PM |
| Sat, Jun 27 | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador | Group E | Kansas City | 12:00 PM |
Knockout Stage Schedule#
Round of 32 – June 28 to July 3#
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Sun, Jun 28 | Round of 32 Match 1 | Los Angeles | 12:00 PM |
| Sun, Jun 28 | Round of 32 Match 2 | Mexico City | 4:00 PM |
| Sun, Jun 28 | Round of 32 Match 3 | Miami | 8:00 PM |
| Mon, Jun 29 | Round of 32 Match 4 | Dallas | 3:00 PM |
| Mon, Jun 29 | Round of 32 Match 5 | Atlanta | 7:00 PM |
| Tue, Jun 30 | Round of 32 Match 6 | Boston | 3:00 PM |
| Tue, Jun 30 | Round of 32 Match 7 | New York/NJ | 7:00 PM |
| Wed, Jul 1 | Round of 32 Match 8 | Kansas City | 3:00 PM |
| Wed, Jul 1 | Round of 32 Match 9 | Houston | 7:00 PM |
| Thu, Jul 2 | Round of 32 Match 10 | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM |
| Thu, Jul 2 | Round of 32 Match 11 | Dallas | 7:00 PM |
| Fri, Jul 3 | Round of 32 Match 12 | Atlanta | 3:00 PM |
| Fri, Jul 3 | Round of 32 Match 13 | Miami | 7:00 PM |
Round of 16 – July 4 to 7#
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Sat, Jul 4 | Round of 16 Match 1 | Philadelphia | 12:00 PM |
| Sat, Jul 4 | Round of 16 Match 2 | Dallas | 4:00 PM |
| Sat, Jul 4 | Round of 16 Match 3 | New York/NJ | 8:00 PM |
| Sun, Jul 5 | Round of 16 Match 4 | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM |
| Sun, Jul 5 | Round of 16 Match 5 | Miami | 7:00 PM |
| Mon, Jul 6 | Round of 16 Match 6 | Kansas City | 3:00 PM |
| Mon, Jul 6 | Round of 16 Match 7 | Houston | 7:00 PM |
| Tue, Jul 7 | Round of 16 Match 8 | New York/NJ | 7:00 PM |
Quarter-Finals – July 9 to 11#
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Thu, Jul 9 | Quarter-Final 1 | Boston | 3:00 PM |
| Thu, Jul 9 | Quarter-Final 2 | New York/NJ | 8:00 PM |
| Fri, Jul 10 | Quarter-Final 3 | Los Angeles | 3:00 PM |
| Sat, Jul 11 | Quarter-Final 4 | Kansas City | 7:00 PM |
Semi-Finals – July 14 to 15#
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Tue, Jul 14 | Semi-Final 1 | Atlanta | 3:00 PM |
| Wed, Jul 15 | Semi-Final 2 | Dallas | 8:00 PM |
Third Place & Final – July 18 to 19#
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|
| Sat, Jul 18 | Third Place Match | Miami | 8:00 PM |
| Sun, Jul 19 | FINAL | MetLife Stadium, New York/NJ | 3:00 PM |
Key Matches to Watch#
- Mexico vs South Africa (Jun 11) – Opening match at the historic Estadio Azteca
- Brazil vs Morocco (Jun 13) – Two football giants clash in New York
- England vs Croatia (Jun 17) – 2018 World Cup semi-final rematch
- USA vs Turkiye (Jun 25) – Host nation’s crucial group stage clash
- Argentina vs Algeria (Jun 23) – Messi’s potential last World Cup
- France vs Senegal (Jun 16) – Defending champions open campaign
- Germany vs Ecuador (Jun 21) – European powerhouse vs South American surprise
- Spain vs Uruguay – Group H could be the group of death
How the Tournament Works#
The 2026 World Cup features a new format with 48 teams:
- Group Stage: 12 groups of 4 teams each play round-robin (3 matches per team)
- Advancement: Top 2 from each group + 8 best third-placed teams advance to Round of 32
- Knockout: Single-elimination from Round of 32 through to the Final
- Total Matches: 104 matches over 39 days
Three points for a win, one for a draw. Tiebreakers include goal difference, goals scored, and head-to-head record.
How to Watch#
- USA: FOX (English), Telemundo (Spanish), streaming on Peacock
- Canada: TSN / CTV (English), RDS (French)
- Mexico: Televisa / TUDN
- UK: BBC / ITV
- India: Sony Sports Network / JioCinema
- Global: FIFA+ streaming app
Frequently Asked Questions#
When does the 2026 FIFA World Cup start?#
The tournament kicks off on Thursday, June 11, 2026 with Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The final will be played on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey.
How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?#
For the first time ever, 48 teams will compete in the World Cup. This is an expansion from the traditional 32-team format that was used from 1998 to 2022.
Which countries are hosting the 2026 World Cup?#
The 2026 World Cup is jointly hosted by three countries: the United States (11 cities), Canada (2 cities), and Mexico (3 cities). This is the first time three countries have hosted the tournament together.
Where is the 2026 World Cup final?#
The final will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (New York metropolitan area) on July 19, 2026. The stadium has a capacity of 82,500.
How many matches will be played?#
A total of 104 matches will be played across 39 days, making this the largest World Cup in terms of matches played.
The tournament features 12 groups of 4 teams in the group stage. The top 2 from each group plus the 8 best third-placed teams advance to a 32-team knockout bracket (Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and Final).
Which teams are in the easiest groups?#
Groups E (Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao) and J (Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan) are considered relatively easier for the top seeds. Groups C (Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti) and L (England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama) are also manageable for favorites.
Which are the toughest groups?#
Group H (Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde) and Group K (Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo) are considered the most competitive. Group A (Mexico, South Korea, Czechia, South Africa) is also tightly contested.
How can I download the full schedule as PDF?#
You can download the official FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule from the FIFA website or check our website for a printable PDF version with all 104 matches, dates, times, and venues.
Key Takeaways#
- FIFA World Cup 2026 runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026
- 48 teams compete in 104 matches across 16 cities
- Hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico
- Opening match: Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca
- Final: July 19 at MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey
- First World Cup with 48 teams and 12 groups of 4
- Watch on FOX, Peacock, TSN, BBC, and FIFA+ worldwide