Quick Answer:
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, marking the largest edition in football history with 48 teams and 104 matches hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For official tournament details, visit the FIFA World Cup 2026 official page. The tournament begins with the opening match in Mexico City and follows a structured schedule: the group stage runs from June 11 to June 27, followed by the Round of 32 (June 28–July 3), Round of 16 (July 4–7), quarter-finals (July 9–11), and semi-finals (July 14–15). The third-place match is set for July 18, while the final will be played on July 19, 2026, in the United States.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams and 104 matches, taking place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament starts on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City and ends with the final on July 19, 2026, in New Jersey, USA. This is the first-ever tri-nation World Cup and the biggest in FIFA history.
The tournament is organized by FIFA, the global governing body of football.
2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule: Every Match Date, Time (EST), and Venue
The 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule spans 39 days and is divided into structured phases:
Group Stage: June 11 – June 27
Round of 32: June 28 – July 3
Round of 16: July 4 – July 7
Quarter-finals: July 9 – July 11
Semi-finals: July 14 – July 15
Third-place Play-off: July 18
Final: July 19
This expanded format increases total matches significantly compared to previous tournaments.
The new format was approved by the FIFA Council.
2026 FIFA World Cup Host Countries and Cities
The tournament will be hosted across 16 cities.
United States (11 cities)
New York / New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area (Santa Clara), Boston, Philadelphia, Kansas City
Mexico (3 cities)
Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.
Canada (2 cities)
Toronto and Vancouver.
This makes the World Cup 2026 venues the most geographically spread in FIFA history.
2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule Format Explained
The tournament introduces a new structure due to the expansion to 48 teams.
Group Stage Format
The tournament will feature 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two teams from every group, along with the best third-placed teams, progressing to the next round.
Knockout Stage Expansion
A new Round of 32 has been introduced, followed by the Round of 16, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and ultimately the Final.
This change will increase competitiveness and total match count.
How the 48-Team World Cup Format Works
The expanded 48-team format for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is designed to increase global representation by allowing more nations from Africa, Asia, and CONCACAF to participate, while also boosting revenue and global engagement, with each group continuing to operate under a round-robin format before teams progress to the knockout stage.
2026 FIFA World Cup Fixtures: Opening Matches
Host nations will play their opening games at home:
Mexico vs South Africa – June 11 (Mexico City)
Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina – June 12 (Toronto)
USA vs Paraguay – June 12 (Los Angeles)
These matches are expected to generate massive global viewership.
2026 FIFA World Cup Stadiums
In the United States, matches will be hosted at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, NRG Stadium in Houston, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Lumen Field in Seattle, Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, and Gillette Stadium in Boston.
In Mexico, the venues will be Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, and Estadio Akron in Guadalajara.
In Canada, matches will be played at BC Place in Vancouver and BMO Field in Toronto.
Read our detailed article on FIFA Worldcup 2026 Stadiums, venues and cities.
2026 FIFA World Cup Knockout Stage Structure
After the group stage, the tournament moves into a Round of 32 knockout phase, followed by the Round of 16, and continues through a traditional single-elimination format all the way to the final, creating greater unpredictability and significantly boosting fan engagement.
2026 FIFA World Cup Tickets and Viewing Guide
Fans will be able to access official ticketing through the FIFA ticket portal, explore premium hospitality packages, and watch matches via FIFA+ and global broadcast partners.
2026 FIFA World Cup Groups (Full 48-Team Structure)
The tournament features 12 groups (A–L) with 4 teams each.
| Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Mexico | South Africa | Republic of Korea | Czech Republic |
| B | Canada | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Qatar | Switzerland |
| C | Brazil | Morocco | Scotland | Haiti |
| D | USA | Paraguay | Australia | Türkiye |
| E | Germany | Curaçao | Côte d’Ivoire | Ecuador |
| F | Netherlands | Japan | Sweden | Tunisia |
| G | Belgium | Egypt | Iran | New Zealand |
| H | Spain | Uruguay | Saudi Arabia | Cabo Verde |
| I | France | Norway | Senegal | Bolivia |
| J | Argentina | Algeria | Austria | Jordan |
| K | Portugal | Colombia | Uzbekistan | Jamaica |
| L | England | Croatia | Ghana | Panama |
2026 FIFA World Cup full schedule
Group Stage
| Date | Group | Match | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, June 11 | A | Mexico vs. South Africa | Mexico City | 3 p.m. |
| Thu, June 11 | A | South Korea vs. Czechia | Zapopan, Mexico | 10 p.m. |
| Fri, June 12 | B | Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina | Toronto | 3 p.m. |
| Fri, June 12 | D | United States vs. Paraguay | Inglewood, Calif. | 9 p.m. |
| Sat, June 13 | B | Qatar vs. Switzerland | Santa Clara, Calif. | 3 p.m. |
| Sat, June 13 | C | Brazil vs. Morocco | East Rutherford, N.J. | 6 p.m. |
| Sat, June 13 | C | Haiti vs. Scotland | Foxborough, Mass. | 9 p.m. |
| Sat, June 13 | D | Australia vs. Türkiye | Vancouver, Canada | 12 a.m. |
| Sun, June 14 | E | Germany vs. Curaçao | Houston | 1 p.m. |
| Sun, June 14 | F | Netherlands vs. Japan | Arlington, Texas | 4 p.m. |
| Sun, June 14 | E | Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador | Philadelphia | 7 p.m. |
| Sun, June 14 | F | Sweden vs. Tunisia | Guadalupe, Mexico | 10 p.m. |
| Mon, June 15 | H | Spain vs. Cape Verde | Atlanta | 1 p.m. |
| Mon, June 15 | G | Belgium vs. Egypt | Seattle | 6 p.m. |
| Mon, June 15 | H | Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay | Miami Gardens, Fla. | 6 p.m. |
| Mon, June 15 | G | Iran vs. New Zealand | Inglewood, Calif. | 12 a.m. (June 16) |
| Tue, June 16 | I | France vs. Senegal | East Rutherford, N.J. | 3 p.m. |
| Tue, June 16 | I | Iraq vs. Norway | Foxborough, Mass. | 6 p.m. |
| Tue, June 16 | J | Argentina vs. Algeria | Kansas City, Mo. | 9 p.m. |
| Tue, June 16 | J | Austria vs. Jordan | Santa Clara, Calif. | 12 a.m. |
| Wed, June 17 | K | Portugal vs. DR Congo | Houston | 1 p.m. |
| Wed, June 17 | L | England vs. Croatia | Arlington, Texas | 4 p.m. |
| Wed, June 17 | L | Ghana vs. Panama | Toronto | 7 p.m. |
| Wed, June 17 | K | Uzbekistan vs. Colombia | Mexico City | 10 p.m. |
| Thu, June 18 | A | Czechia vs. South Africa | Atlanta | noon |
| Thu, June 18 | B | Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina | Inglewood, Calif. | 3 p.m. |
| Thu, June 18 | B | Canada vs. Qatar | Vancouver, Canada | 6 p.m. |
| Thu, June 18 | A | Mexico vs. South Korea | Zapopan, Mexico | 11 p.m. |
| Fri, June 19 | D | United States vs. Australia | Seattle | 3 p.m. |
| Fri, June 19 | C | Scotland vs. Morocco | Foxborough, Mass. | 6 p.m. |
| Fri, June 19 | C | Brazil vs. Haiti | Philadelphia | 9 p.m. |
| Fri, June 19 | D | Türkiye vs. Paraguay | Santa Clara, Calif. | 12 a.m. |
| Sat, June 20 | F | Netherlands vs. Sweden | Houston | 1 p.m. |
| Sat, June 20 | E | Germany vs. Ivory Coast | Toronto | 4 p.m. |
| Sat, June 20 | E | Ecuador vs. Curaçao | Kansas City, Mo. | 8 p.m. |
| Sat, June 20 | F | Tunisia vs. Japan | Guadalupe, Mexico | 12 a.m. |
| Sun, June 21 | H | Spain vs. Saudi Arabia | Atlanta | noon |
| Sun, June 21 | G | Belgium vs. Iran | Inglewood, Calif. | 3 p.m. |
| Sun, June 21 | H | Uruguay vs. Cape Verde | Miami Gardens, Fla. | 6 p.m. |
| Sun, June 21 | G | New Zealand vs. Egypt | Vancouver | 9 p.m. |
| Mon, June 22 | J | Argentina vs. Austria | Arlington, Texas | 1 p.m. |
| Mon, June 22 | I | France vs. Iraq | Philadelphia | 5 p.m. |
| Mon, June 22 | I | Norway vs. Senegal | East Rutherford, N.J. | 8 p.m. |
| Mon, June 22 | J | Jordan vs. Algeria | Santa Clara, Calif. | 11 p.m. |
| Tue, June 23 | K | Portugal vs. Uzbekistan | Houston | 1 p.m. |
| Tue, June 23 | L | England vs. Ghana | Foxborough, Mass. | 4 p.m. |
| Tue, June 23 | L | Panama vs. Croatia | Toronto | 7 p.m. |
| Tue, June 23 | K | Colombia vs. DR Congo | Zapopan, Mexico | 10 p.m. |
| Wed, June 24 | B | Switzerland vs. Canada | Vancouver, Canada | 3 p.m. |
| Wed, June 24 | B | Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar | Seattle | 3 p.m. |
| Wed, June 24 | C | Scotland vs. Brazil | Miami Gardens, Fla. | 6 p.m. |
| Wed, June 24 | C | Morocco vs. Haiti | Atlanta | 6 p.m. |
| Wed, June 24 | A | Czechia vs. Mexico | Mexico City | 9 p.m. |
| Wed, June 24 | A | South Africa vs. South Korea | Guadalupe, Mexico | 9 p.m. |
| Thu, June 25 | E | Ecuador vs. Germany | East Rutherford, N.J. | 4 p.m. |
| Thu, June 25 | E | Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast | Philadelphia | 4 p.m. |
| Thu, June 25 | F | Japan vs. Sweden | Arlington, Texas | 7 p.m. |
| Thu, June 25 | F | Tunisia vs. Netherlands | Kansas City, Mo. | 7 p.m. |
| Thu, June 25 | D | Türkiye vs. United States | Inglewood, Calif. | 10 p.m. |
| Thu, June 25 | D | Paraguay vs. Australia | Santa Clara, Calif. | 10 p.m. |
| Fri, June 26 | I | Norway vs. France | Foxborough, Mass. | 3 p.m. |
| Fri, June 26 | I | Senegal vs. Iraq | Toronto | 3 p.m. |
| Fri, June 26 | H | Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia | Houston | 8 p.m. |
| Fri, June 26 | H | Uruguay vs. Spain | Zapopan, Mexico | 8 p.m. |
| Fri, June 26 | G | Egypt vs. Iran | Seattle | 11 p.m. |
| Fri, June 26 | G | New Zealand vs. Belgium | Vancouver, Canada | 11 p.m. |
| Sat, June 27 | L | Panama vs. England | East Rutherford, N.J. | 5 p.m. |
| Sat, June 27 | L | Croatia vs. Ghana | Philadelphia | 5 p.m. |
| Sat, June 27 | K | Colombia vs. Portugal | Miami Gardens, Fla. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat, June 27 | K | DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan | Atlanta | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat, June 27 | J | Algeria vs. Austria | Kansas City, Mo. | 10 p.m. |
| Sat, June 27 | J | Jordan vs. Argentina | Arlington, Texas | 10 p.m. |
Round of 32
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, June 28 | Group A runners-up vs. Group B runners-up | Inglewood, Calif. | 3 p.m. |
| Mon, June 29 | Group C winners vs. Group F runners-up | Houston | 1 p.m. |
| Mon, June 29 | Group E winners vs. Group A/B/C/D/F third place | Foxborough, Mass. | 4:30 p.m. |
| Mon, June 29 | Group F winners vs. Group C runners-up | Guadalupe, Mexico | 9 p.m. |
| Tue, June 30 | Group E runners-up vs. Group I runners-up | Arlington, Texas | 1 p.m. |
| Tue, June 30 | Group I winners vs. Group C/D/F/G/H third place | East Rutherford, N.J. | 5 p.m. |
| Tue, June 30 | Group A winners vs. Group C/E/F/H/I third place | Mexico City | 9 p.m. |
| Wed, July 1 | Group L winners vs. Group E/H/I/J/K third place | Atlanta | noon |
| Wed, July 1 | Group G winners vs. Group A/E/H/I/J third place | Seattle | 4 p.m. |
| Wed, July 1 | Group D winners vs. Group B/E/F/I/J third place | Santa Clara, Calif. | 8 p.m. |
| Thu, July 2 | Group H winners vs. Group J runners-up | Inglewood, Calif. | 3 p.m. |
| Thu, July 2 | Group K runners-up vs. Group L runners-up | Toronto | 7 p.m. |
| Thu, July 2 | Group B winners vs. Group E/F/G/I/J third place | Vancouver, Canada | 11 p.m. |
| Fri, July 3 | Group D runners-up vs. Group G runners-up | Arlington, Texas | 2 p.m. |
| Fri, July 3 | Group J winners vs. Group H runners-up | Miami Gardens, Fla. | 6 p.m. |
| Fri, July 3 | Group K winners vs. Group D/E/I/J/L third place | Kansas City, Mo. | 9:30 p.m. |
Knockout Rounds
| Round | Date | Venue | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | Sat, July 4 | Houston | 1 p.m. |
| Round of 16 | Sat, July 4 | Philadelphia | 5 p.m. |
| Round of 16 | Sun, July 5 | East Rutherford, N.J. | 4 p.m. |
| Round of 16 | Sun, July 5 | Mexico City | 8 p.m. |
| Round of 16 | Mon, July 6 | Arlington, Texas | 3 p.m. |
| Round of 16 | Mon, July 6 | Seattle | 5 p.m. |
| Round of 16 | Tue, July 7 | Atlanta | noon |
| Round of 16 | Tue, July 7 | Vancouver, Canada | 4 p.m. |
| Quarterfinal 1 | Thu, July 9 | Foxborough, Mass. | 4 p.m. |
| Quarterfinal 2 | Fri, July 10 | Inglewood, Calif. | 3 p.m. |
| Quarterfinal 3 | Sat, July 11 | Miami Gardens, Fla. | 5 p.m. |
| Quarterfinal 4 | Sat, July 11 | Kansas City, Mo. | 9 p.m. |
| Semifinal 1 | Tue, July 14 | Arlington, Texas | 3 p.m. |
| Semifinal 2 | Wed, July 15 | Atlanta | 3 p.m. |
| Third-place game | Sat, July 18 | Miami Gardens, Fla. | 5 p.m. |
| Final | Sun, July 19 | East Rutherford, N.J. | 3 p.m. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup
1- When does the 2026 FIFA World Cup start?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City.
2- When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup final?
The tournament will conclude on July 19, 2026, in New Jersey, USA.
3. Where will the 2026 FIFA World Cup be held?
The tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, making it the first World Cup ever hosted by three countries.
4. How many teams will participate in 2026?
A total of 48 teams will compete, expanded from the previous 32-team format.
5. What is the format of the 2026 World Cup?
The tournament will feature 12 groups of 4 teams each, with the top teams advancing to a new knockout stage starting from a Round of 32.
6. Which cities will host the matches?
Matches will be played across multiple cities in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, including major venues like New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Toronto, Mexico City, and others.
7. How can fans buy tickets?
Tickets will be available through the official FIFA ticket portal, along with hospitality packages for premium experiences.
8. Where can I watch the matches?
Matches will be broadcast globally through FIFA’s official broadcast partners and major sports networks, with streaming options available in most regions.
9. Will there be VAR technology?
Yes, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system will continue to be used to support match officials.
10. How many matches will be played in total?
A total of 104 matches will be played throughout the tournament.
11. Why is the 2026 World Cup significant?
It is the first 48-team World Cup, the first hosted across three nations, and one of the largest sporting events in history.
