With less than six months to go until the FIFA World Cup 2026, the schedule for the 39-day tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States has been released.
Widely considered the most famous sporting event in the world, the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup will be its biggest ever, with 48 nations participating instead of the usual 32 and with 104 matches to be played in the 16 venues across the three host nations.
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Argentina will look to defend the trophy they lifted under their iconic captain, Lionel Messi, at Qatar 2022, while Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will make their debut at the finals.
The tournament will begin in Mexico and wrap up in the US.
Here’s everything you need to know about its teams, groups, format and schedule.
What are the groups for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Group A:
- Mexico
- South Korea
- South Africa
- Denmark/Macedonia/Czechia/Ireland
Group B:
- Canada
- Switzerland
- Qatar
- Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia
Group C:
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Scotland
- Haiti
Group D:
- USA
- Australia
- Paraguay
- Turkiye/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo
Group E:
- Germany
- Ecuador
- Ivory Coast
- Curacao
Group F:
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Tunisia
- Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania
Group G:
- Belgium
- Iran
- Egypt
- New Zealand
Group H:
- Spain
- Uruguay
- Saudi Arabia
- Cape Verde
Group I:
- France
- Senegal
- Norway
- Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname
Group J:
- Argentina
- Austria
- Algeria
- Jordan
Group K:
- Portugal
- Colombia
- Uzbekistan
- DRC/Jamaica/New Caledonia
Group L:
- England
- Croatia
- Panama
- Ghana
When and where is the opening match of FIFA World Cup 2026?
The tournament will open on June 11 at 3pm (21: 00 GMT) at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico.
When and where is the final of FIFA World Cup 2026?
The MetLife Stadium, which will be called the New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament, will host the final on July 19 at 3pm (20: 00 GMT).
Why has FIFA changed the names of the stadiums hosting World Cup matches?
In a move to restrict ambush marketing for brands not associated with FIFA, the governing body has changed stadium names for all venues to match with the host city.
Therefore, the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has been rebranded as the New York New Jersey Stadium and the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles has been renamed the Los Angeles Stadium for the tournament.
What’s the format of the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The tournament will be made up of one group-stage round and four knockout rounds before the final.
Unlike previous editions, the knockouts will begin with the round of 32, followed by the round of 16, the four quarterfinals and two semifinals.
The stage-wise breakdown of the tournament’s schedule is:
- Group stage: June 11 to June 27
- Round of 32: June 28 to July 3
- Round of 16: July 4-7
- Quarterfinals: July 9-11
- Semifinals: July 14-15
- Bronze medal match: July 18
- Final: July 19
What’s the full match schedule of the World Cup?
Group stage
Thursday, June 11
Mexico vs South Africa at 3pm (21: 00 GMT) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico
South Korea vs TDB at 10pm (04: 00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
Friday, June 12
Canada vs TBD at 3pm (20: 00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada
USA vs Paraguay at 9pm (05: 00 GMT on Saturday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US
Saturday, June 13
Qatar vs Switzerland at 3pm (23: 00 GMT) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US
Brazil vs Morocco at 6pm (23: 00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US
Haiti vs Scotland at 9pm (02: 00 GMT on Sunday) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US
Australia vs TBD at midnight (08: 00 GMT on Sunday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada
Sunday, June 14
Germany vs Curacao at 1pm (19: 00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US
Netherlands vs Japan at 4pm (22: 00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US
Ivory Coast vs Ecuador at 7pm (00: 00 GMT on Monday) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US
TBD vs Tunisia at 10pm (04: 00 GMT on Monday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico
Monday, June 15
Spain vs Cape Verde at 12pm (17: 00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US
Belgium vs Egypt at 3pm (23: 00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay at 6pm (23: 00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US
Iran vs New Zealand at 9pm (05: 00 GMT on Tuesday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US
Tuesday, June 16
France vs Senegal at 3pm (20: 00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US
TBD vs Norway at 6pm (23: 00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US
Argentina vs Algeria at 9pm (03: 00 GMT on Wednesday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US
Austria vs Jordan at midnight (08: 00 GMT on Wednesday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US
Wednesday, June 17
Portugal vs TBD at 1pm (19: 00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US
England vs Croatia at 4pm (22: 00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US
Ghana vs Panama at 7pm (00: 00 GMT on Thursday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada
Uzbekistan vs Colombia at 10pm (04: 00 GMT on Thursday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico
Thursday, June 18
TBD vs South Africa at 12pm (17: 00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US
Switzerland vs TBD at 3pm (23: 00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US
Canada vs Qatar at 6pm (02: 00 GMT on Friday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada
Mexico vs South Korea at 9pm (03: 00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
Friday, June 19
Scotland vs Morocco at 6pm (23: 00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US
USA vs Australia at 3pm (23: 00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US
Brazil vs Haiti at 9pm (02: 00 GMT on Saturday) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US
TBD vs Paraguay at midnight (08: 00 GMT on Saturday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US
Saturday, June 20
Netherlands vs TBD at 1pm (19: 00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US
Germany vs Ivory Coast at 4pm (21: 00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada
Ecuador vs Curacao at 8pm (04: 00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US,
Tunisia vs Japan at midnight (06: 00 GMT on Sunday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico
Sunday, June 21
Spain vs Saudi Arabia at 12pm (17: 00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US
Belgium vs Iran at 3pm (23: 00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US
Uruguay vs Cape Verde at 6pm (23: 00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US
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