The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be one of the most historic editions of the tournament. With 48 teams participating for the first time, this global football spectacle will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Matches will take place across 16 cities, offering fans a wider reach and more exciting fixtures than ever before. The competition will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, delivering over a month of thrilling international football.
Host Nations and Venues
This is the first time the World Cup will be staged in three countries.
- Canada: Toronto and Vancouver will host key matches.
- Mexico: Iconic stadiums such as the Estadio Azteca will bring football history to life.
- United States: With several venues, including MetLife Stadium and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the USA will cover the majority of fixtures.
In total, 16 world-class stadiums will stage the matches, ensuring top-notch facilities for both players and fans.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule, Fixtures, and Dates
The official World Cup 2026 schedule is spread across different phases of the tournament:
| Stage | Dates | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Group Stage – Matchday 1 | June 11 – 17, 2026 | Opening round of matches across all groups |
| Group Stage – Matchday 2 | June 18 – 23, 2026 | Teams fight for qualification momentum |
| Group Stage – Matchday 3 | June 24 – 27, 2026 | Final group fixtures to decide standings |
| Round of 32 | June 28 – July 3, 2026 | First-ever extended knockout stage |
| Round of 16 | July 4 – 7, 2026 | Traditional elimination stage |
| Quarterfinals | July 9 – 11, 2026 | Top eight teams battle for semifinal spots |
| Semifinals | July 14 – 15, 2026 | Four teams compete for the final |
| Third Place Playoff | July 18, 2026 | Bronze medal clash |
| Final | July 19, 2026 | Championship match to crown the winner |
All Timings in EST
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico (H) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | South Africa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | South Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | UEFA Playoff D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 11 – 15:00 – Mexico vs South Africa – Mexico City
- June 11 – 22:00 – South Korea vs UEFA Playoff D – Guadalajara
- June 18 – 12:00 – UEFA Playoff D vs South Africa – Atlanta
- June 18 – 21:00 – Mexico vs South Korea – Guadalajara
- June 24 – 21:00 – Mexico vs UEFA Playoff D – Mexico City
- June 24 – 21:00 – South Korea vs South Africa – Monterrey
Group B
| 1 | Canada (H) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Qatar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | UEFA Playoff A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 12 – 15:00 – Canada vs UEFA Playoff A – Toronto
- June 13 – 15:00 – Qatar vs Switzerland – San Francisco Bay Area
- June 18 – 15:00 – Switzerland vs UEFA Playoff A – Los Angeles
- June 18 – 18:00 – Canada vs Qatar – Vancouver
- June 24 – 15:00 – Canada vs Switzerland – Vancouver
- June 24 – 15:00 – UEFA Playoff A vs Qatar – Seattle
Group C
| 1 | Brazil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Morocco | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Haiti | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | Scotland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 13 – 21:00 – Brazil vs Morocco
- June 13 – 18:00 – Haiti vs Scotland
- June 19 – 21:00 – Brazil vs Haiti
- June 19 – 18:00 – Scotland vs Morocco
- June 24 – 18:00 – Scotland vs Brazil
- June 24 – 18:00 – Morocco vs Haiti
Group D
| 1 | USA (H) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Paraguay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | UEFA Playoff C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 12 – 21:00 – USA vs Paraguay – Los Angeles
- June 13 – 00:00 – Australia vs UEFA Playoff C – Vancouver
- June 19 – 00:00 – UEFA Playoff C vs Paraguay
- June 19 – 15:00 – USA vs Australia – Seattle
- June 25 – 22:00 – USA vs UEFA Playoff C – Los Angeles
- June 25 – 22:00 – Paraguay vs Australia
Group E
| 1 | Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Ivory Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Ecuador | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | Curaçao | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 14 – 19:00 – Germany vs Curaçao
- June 14 – 13:00 – Ivory Coast vs Ecuador
- June 20 – 16:00 – Germany vs Ivory Coast
- June 20 – 20:00 – Ecuador vs Curaçao
- June 25 – 16:00 – Ecuador vs Germany
- June 25 – 16:00 – Curaçao vs Ivory Coast
Group F
| 1 | Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Japan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Tunisia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | UEFA Playoff B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 14 – 16:00 – Netherlands vs Japan
- June 14 – 22:00 – UEFA Playoff B vs Tunisia
- June 20 – 13:00 – Netherlands vs UEFA Playoff B
- June 20 – 00:00 – Tunisia vs Japan
- June 25 – 19:00 – Tunisia vs Netherlands
- June 25 – 19:00 – Japan vs UEFA Playoff B
Group G
| 1 | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Egypt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Iran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 15 – 21:00 – Belgium vs Egypt
- June 15 – 15:00 – Iran vs New Zealand
- June 21 – 15:00 – Belgium vs Iran
- June 21 – 21:00 – New Zealand vs Egypt
- June 26 – 23:00 – New Zealand vs Belgium
- June 26 – 23:00 – Egypt vs Iran
Group H
| 1 | Spain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Uruguay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Saudi Arabia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | Cape Verde | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 15 – 18:00 – Spain vs Cape Verde
- June 15 – 12:00 – Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay
- June 21 – 18:00 – Spain vs Saudi Arabia
- June 21 – 12:00 – Uruguay vs Cape Verde
- June 26 – 20:00 – Uruguay vs Spain
- June 26 – 20:00 – Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia
Group I
| 1 | France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Senegal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Norway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | FIFA Playoff 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 16 – 15:00 – France vs Senegal
- June 16 – 18:00 – FIFA Playoff 2 vs Norway
- June 22 – 20:00 – France vs FIFA Playoff 2
- June 22 – 17:00 – Norway vs Senegal
- June 26 – 15:00 – Norway vs France
- June 26 – 15:00 – Senegal vs FIFA Playoff 2
Group J
| 1 | Argentina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Austria | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Jordan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | Algeria | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 16 – 21:00 – Argentina vs Algeria
- June 16 – 00:00 – Austria vs Jordan
- June 22 – 13:00 – Argentina vs Austria
- June 22 – 23:00 – Jordan vs Algeria
- June 27 – 22:00 – Jordan vs Argentina
- June 27 – 22:00 – Algeria vs Austria
Group K
| 1 | Portugal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Colombia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Uzbekistan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | FIFA Playoff 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 17 – 13:00 – Portugal vs FIFA Playoff 1
- June 17 – 22:00 – Uzbekistan vs Colombia
- June 23 – 13:00 – Portugal vs Uzbekistan
- June 23 – 22:00 – Colombia vs FIFA Playoff 1
- June 27 – 19:30 – Colombia vs Portugal
- June 27 – 19:30 – FIFA Playoff 1 vs Uzbekistan
Group L
| 1 | England | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance |
| 2 | Croatia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Ghana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible |
| 4 | Panama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- June 17 – 19:00 – England vs Croatia
- June 17 – 16:00 – Ghana vs Panama
- June 23 – 16:00 – England vs Ghana
- June 23 – 19:00 – Panama vs Croatia
- June 27 – 17:00 – Panama vs England
- June 27 – 17:00 – Croatia vs Ghana
Round of 32
- June 28 – 15:00 – Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group B, SoFi Stadium (Inglewood)
- June 29 – 16:30 – Winner Group E vs 3rd A/B/C/D/F, Gillette Stadium (Foxborough)
- June 29 – 21:00 – Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group C, Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe)
- June 29 – 13:00 – Winner Group C vs Runner-up Group F, NRG Stadium (Houston)
- June 30 – 17:00 – Winner Group I vs 3rd C/D/F/G/H, MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)
- June 30 – 13:00 – Runner-up Group E vs Runner-up Group I, AT&T Stadium (Arlington)
- June 30 – 21:00 – Winner Group A vs 3rd C/E/F/H/I, Estadio Azteca (Mexico City)
- July 1 – 12:00 – Winner Group L vs 3rd E/H/I/J/K, Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
- July 1 – 20:00 – Winner Group D vs 3rd B/E/F/I/J, Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara)
- July 1 – 16:00 – Winner Group G vs 3rd A/E/H/I/J, Lumen Field (Seattle)
- July 2 – 19:00 – Runner-up Group K vs Runner-up Group L, BMO Field (Toronto)
- July 2 – 15:00 – Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group J, SoFi Stadium (Inglewood)
- July 2 – 23:00 – Winner Group B vs 3rd E/F/G/I/J, BC Place (Vancouver)
- July 3 – 18:00 – Winner Group J vs Runner-up Group H, Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens)
- July 3 – 21:30 – Winner Group K vs 3rd D/E/I/J/L, Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City)
- July 3 – 14:00 – Runner-up Group D vs Runner-up Group G, AT&T Stadium (Arlington)
Round of 16
- July 4 – 17:00 – Winner M74 vs Winner M77, Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
- July 4 – 13:00 – Winner M73 vs Winner M75, NRG Stadium (Houston)
- July 5 – 16:00 – Winner M76 vs Winner M78, MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)
- July 5 – 20:00 – Winner M79 vs Winner M80, Estadio Azteca (Mexico City)
- July 6 – 15:00 – Winner M83 vs Winner M84, AT&T Stadium (Arlington)
- July 6 – 20:00 – Winner M81 vs Winner M82, Lumen Field (Seattle)
- July 7 – 12:00 – Winner M86 vs Winner M88, Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
- July 7 – 16:00 – Winner M85 vs Winner M87, BC Place (Vancouver)
Quarterfinals
- July 9 – Winner M89 vs Winner M90, Gillette Stadium (Foxborough)
- July 10 – Winner M93 vs Winner M94, SoFi Stadium (Inglewood)
- July 11 – Winner M91 vs Winner M92, Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens)
- July 11 – Winner M95 vs Winner M96, Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City)
Semifinals
- July 14 – 15:00 – Winner M97 vs Winner M98, AT&T Stadium (Arlington)
- July 15 – 15:00 – Winner M99 vs Winner M100, Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Third Place Playoff
- July 18 – 17:00 – Loser M101 vs Loser M102, Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens)
Final
- July 19 – 15:00 – Winner M101 vs Winner M102, MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)
Expanded Format: 48 Teams
For the first time, the World Cup format expands from 32 to 48 teams. This allows more nations from different confederations to participate, giving football fans a chance to see new rivalries and underdog stories unfold. The tournament will feature:
- 6 confederations represented.
- More knockout matches due to the new Round of 32.
- Higher chances for emerging football nations to showcase their talent.
Key Highlights of the 2026 World Cup
- Longest duration: Spanning over five weeks, making it one of the most extended World Cups ever.
- Massive audience reach: With three host countries, fans from North America and beyond will have easy access to matches.
- Historic venues: From the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico to modern arenas in the USA, the event blends tradition with modern football culture.
- Global participation: The largest pool of teams in history ensures diversity and fresh competition.
Conclusion
The FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule highlights a new era in international football. With an expanded format, matches across North America, and more opportunities for nations worldwide, this edition promises to be unforgettable. From the group stage in June to the final on July 19, 2026, fans can expect football at its finest on the world’s biggest stage.