World Cup 2026: Fixtures, venues, kick-off times released

By Tolulope Oke

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first to be co-hosted by three countries, begins on June 11, 2026.

A total of 48 teams will compete in 104 matches across 16 host cities. The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

FIFA has introduced three-minute water breaks at each game due to player welfare concerns. The tournament also features debutant nations including Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan, with Curacao becoming the smallest country ever to play at a World Cup finals.

Group Stage Fixtures

June 11
8:00 pm – Mexico vs South Africa (Group A, Mexico City)

June 12
3:00 am – Korea Republic vs Czechia (Group A, Guadalajara)
8:00 pm – Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina (Group B, Toronto)

June 13
2:00 am – USA vs Paraguay (Group D, Los Angeles)
5:00 am – Australia vs Turkey (Group D, Vancouver)
8:00 pm – Qatar vs Switzerland (Group B, San Francisco)
11:00 pm – Brazil vs Morocco (Group C, New York/New Jersey)

June 14
2:00 am – Haiti vs Scotland (Group C, Boston)
6:00 pm – Germany vs Curacao (Group E, Houston)
9:00 pm – Netherlands vs Japan (Group F, Dallas)
12:00 am – Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (Group E, Philadelphia)

June 15
3:00 am – Sweden vs Tunisia (Group F, Monterrey)
5:00 pm – Spain vs Cape Verde (Group H, Atlanta)
8:00 pm – Belgium vs Egypt (Group G, Seattle)
11:00 pm – Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay (Group H, Miami)

June 16

2:am: IR Iran vs New Zealand (Group G, Los Angeles)

8:pm: France vs Senegal (Group I, New York/New Jersey)

11:pm: Iraq vs Norway (Group I, Boston)

June 17

2:am: Argentina vs Algeria (Group J, Kansas City)

5:am: Austria vs Jordan (Group J, San Francisco)

6:pm: Portugal vs DR Congo (Group K, Houston)

9:pm: England vs Croatia (Group L, Dallas)

12:am: Ghana vs Panama (Group L, Toronto)

June 18-June 28
(Full fixtures with kick-off times and venues continue for all group matches.)

Round of 32

June 28 – July 4
Matches 73–88 will determine the teams advancing from the group stage to the Round of 16. Matches are scheduled in Los Angeles, Houston, Boston, Monterrey, Dallas, New York/New Jersey, Mexico City, Atlanta, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Seattle.

Round of 16

July 4 – July 7
Matches 89–96 will decide the quarter-finalists. Kick-off times vary from 1:00 am to 10:00 pm across host cities.

Quarter-Finals

July 9 – July 12
Matches 97–100 will be held in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, and Kansas City to determine the semi-finalists.

Semi-Finals

July 14 – July 15
Matches 101–102 will take place in Dallas and Atlanta.

Third-Place Playoff

July 18 – Loser of match 101 vs Loser of match 102, Miami, 10:00 pm.

Final

July 19 – Winner of match 101 vs Winner of match 102 at MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey, 8:00 pm.