The FIFA World Cup 2026 runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, featuring 104 matches across 16 host cities in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Mexico City Stadium hosts the opener (Mexico vs South Africa) while the final lands at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Furthermore, this 23rd edition is the biggest ever, with 48 nations split into 12 groups and an added Round of 32 stage. Below, you will find the complete FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule with dates, venues, and kick-off times in IST for Indian fans.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule At A Glance
First of all, here are the key tournament dates so you can plan your viewing schedule. Notably, the group stage stretches over 17 days, after which the knockouts move fast.
| Stage | Dates | Matches | Notable Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | June 11 – June 27, 2026 | 72 | Mexico vs South Africa (Opener) |
| Round of 32 | June 28 – July 3, 2026 | 16 | First-ever R32 in a World Cup |
| Round of 16 | July 4 – July 7, 2026 | 8 | Knockouts continue |
| Quarterfinals | July 9 – July 11, 2026 | 4 | Last eight |
| Semifinals | July 14 – July 15, 2026 | 2 | Dallas & Atlanta |
| 3rd Place Playoff | July 18, 2026 | 1 | Miami Stadium |
| Final | July 19, 2026 | 1 | New York New Jersey Stadium |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament Format
The expanded 48-team format introduces a Round of 32, marking the biggest structural change since 1998. Specifically, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups advance automatically, while the eight best third-placed teams also progress. Consequently, 32 teams entered the knockouts instead of the traditional 16.
Moreover, the tournament stretches across 39 days, three more than Qatar 2022. As a result, players get slightly more rest between matches, although travel between three countries adds its own challenges. Additionally, FIFA has renamed all venues for the tournament to bypass naming-rights conflicts.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Groups (Final Draw)
After the draw on December 5, 2025, in Washington D.C., and the final qualifying playoffs on March 31, 2026, all 12 groups are now confirmed. Interestingly, Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will make their World Cup debuts, while Iraq returns after 40 years.
| Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | Mexico | South Korea | South Africa | Czechia |
| Group B | Canada | Switzerland | Qatar | Bosnia & Herz. |
| Group C | Brazil | Morocco | Scotland | Haiti |
| Group D | USA | Australia | Paraguay | Türkiye |
| 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 | Panama | Ghana |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule (All 72 Matches)
Above all, the group stage delivers the wildest spread of fixtures. Here is the day-by-day breakdown with kick-off times in IST. Notably, most evening matches in the Americas mean very late-night or early-morning watch windows for Indian fans. Therefore, brew that coffee strong.
Matchday 1: June 11–12, 2026 (Opening Round)
First of all, the tournament kicks off in classic fashion as hosts Mexico face South Africa at the iconic Mexico City Stadium (formerly Estadio Azteca). Additionally, Canada and the USA both play their openers on June 12.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jun 11 | 2:30 AM (Jun 12) | Mexico vs South Africa | Mexico City Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 11 | 9:30 AM (Jun 12) | South Korea vs Czechia | Estadio Guadalajara |
| Fri, Jun 12 | 1:30 AM (Jun 13) | Canada vs Bosnia & Herz. | Toronto Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 12 | 10:30 AM (Jun 13) | USA vs Paraguay | Los Angeles Stadium |
Matchday 2: June 13–15, 2026
Subsequently, Brazil opens its campaign against Morocco at the New York New Jersey Stadium on June 13. Meanwhile, defending champions Argentina wait until June 16, but Germany, Netherlands, and Spain all get going during this window.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jun 13 | 4:30 AM (Jun 14) | Qatar vs Switzerland | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 13 | 4:30 AM (Jun 14) | Brazil vs Morocco | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 13 | 7:30 AM (Jun 14) | Haiti vs Scotland | Boston Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 13 | 1:30 PM (Jun 14) | Australia vs Türkiye | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Sun, Jun 14 | 12:30 AM (Jun 15) | Germany vs Curacao | Houston Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 14 | 3:30 AM (Jun 15) | Netherlands vs Japan | Dallas Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 14 | 5:30 AM (Jun 15) | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 14 | 9:30 AM (Jun 15) | Sweden vs Tunisia | Estadio Monterrey |
| Mon, Jun 15 | 10:30 PM | Spain vs Cape Verde | Atlanta Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 15 | 4:30 AM (Jun 16) | Belgium vs Egypt | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Mon, Jun 15 | 4:30 AM (Jun 16) | Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay | Miami Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 15 | 10:30 AM (Jun 16) | Iran vs New Zealand | Los Angeles Stadium |
Matchday 3: June 16–18, 2026
Furthermore, this window features two heavyweight openers. France kicks off against Senegal in a rematch of the 2002 World Cup shocker, while Argentina opens its title defence against Algeria in Kansas City. Equally important, England begins its Group L campaign against Croatia in Dallas.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Jun 16 | 1:30 AM (Jun 17) | France vs Senegal | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 16 | 4:30 AM (Jun 17) | Iraq vs Norway | Boston Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 16 | 8:30 AM (Jun 17) | Argentina vs Algeria | Kansas City Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 16 | 1:30 PM (Jun 17) | Austria vs Jordan | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 17 | 12:30 AM (Jun 18) | Portugal vs DR Congo | Houston Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 17 | 3:30 AM (Jun 18) | England vs Croatia | Dallas Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 17 | 5:30 AM (Jun 18) | Ghana vs Panama | Toronto Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 17 | 9:30 AM (Jun 18) | Uzbekistan vs Colombia | Mexico City Stadium |
Matchday 4: June 18–21, 2026 (Round 2 Begins)
By this point, the second round of group fixtures kicks in. As a result, every team has at least one match behind them, and the table picture starts forming. Meanwhile, host nations Mexico, Canada, and USA all play crucial second matches in this stretch.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jun 18 | 10:30 PM | Czechia vs South Africa | Atlanta Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 18 | 4:30 AM (Jun 19) | Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herz. | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 18 | 7:30 AM (Jun 19) | Canada vs Qatar | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Thu, Jun 18 | 8:30 AM (Jun 19) | Mexico vs South Korea | Estadio Guadalajara |
| Fri, Jun 19 | 4:30 AM (Jun 20) | Scotland vs Morocco | Boston Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 19 | 4:30 AM (Jun 20) | USA vs Australia | Seattle Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 19 | 7:30 AM (Jun 20) | Brazil vs Haiti | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 19 | 1:30 PM (Jun 20) | Türkiye vs Paraguay | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 20 | 12:30 AM (Jun 21) | Netherlands vs Sweden | Houston Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 20 | 2:30 AM (Jun 21) | Germany vs Ivory Coast | Toronto Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 20 | 9:30 AM (Jun 21) | Ecuador vs Curacao | Kansas City Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 20 | 11:30 AM (Jun 21) | Tunisia vs Japan | Estadio Monterrey |
| Sun, Jun 21 | 10:30 PM | Spain vs Saudi Arabia | Atlanta Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 21 | 4:30 AM (Jun 22) | Belgium vs Iran | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 21 | 4:30 AM (Jun 22) | Uruguay vs Cape Verde | Miami Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 21 | 10:30 AM (Jun 22) | New Zealand vs Egypt | BC Place, Vancouver |
Matchday 5: June 22–24, 2026
Halfway through, the stakes climb sharply. France vs Iraq headlines June 22, while England takes on Ghana in Boston on June 23. Above all, this stretch decides which heavyweights cruise through and which face nervous final matchdays.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Jun 22 | 12:30 AM (Jun 23) | Argentina vs Austria | Dallas Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 22 | 3:30 AM (Jun 23) | France vs Iraq | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 22 | 6:30 AM (Jun 23) | Norway vs Senegal | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 22 | 12:30 PM (Jun 23) | Jordan vs Algeria | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 23 | 12:30 AM (Jun 24) | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Houston Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 23 | 2:30 AM (Jun 24) | England vs Ghana | Boston Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 23 | 5:30 AM (Jun 24) | Panama vs Croatia | Toronto Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 23 | 9:30 AM (Jun 24) | Colombia vs DR Congo | Estadio Guadalajara |
| Wed, Jun 24 | 4:30 AM (Jun 25) | Switzerland vs Canada | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Wed, Jun 24 | 4:30 AM (Jun 25) | Bosnia & Herz. vs Qatar | Seattle Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 24 | 4:30 AM (Jun 25) | Scotland vs Brazil | Miami Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 24 | 4:30 AM (Jun 25) | Morocco vs Haiti | Atlanta Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 24 | 8:30 AM (Jun 25) | Czechia vs Mexico | Mexico City Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 24 | 8:30 AM (Jun 25) | South Africa vs South Korea | Estadio Monterrey |
Matchday 6: June 25–27, 2026 (Final Group Round)
Finally, the closing group fixtures arrive with simultaneous kick-offs to prevent collusion. Specifically, both matches in each group are played at the same time. As a result, expect chaos, late drama, and several third-placed scenarios going down to the wire.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jun 25 | 2:30 AM (Jun 26) | Ecuador vs Germany | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | 2:30 AM (Jun 26) | Curacao vs Ivory Coast | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | 5:30 AM (Jun 26) | Japan vs Sweden | Dallas Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | 5:30 AM (Jun 26) | Tunisia vs Netherlands | Kansas City Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | 11:30 AM (Jun 26) | Türkiye vs USA | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | 11:30 AM (Jun 26) | Paraguay vs Australia | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | 1:30 AM (Jun 27) | Norway vs France | Boston Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | 1:30 AM (Jun 27) | Senegal vs Iraq | Toronto Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | 7:30 AM (Jun 27) | Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia | Houston Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | 7:30 AM (Jun 27) | Uruguay vs Spain | Estadio Guadalajara |
| Fri, Jun 26 | 12:30 PM (Jun 27) | Egypt vs Iran | Seattle Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | 12:30 PM (Jun 27) | New Zealand vs Belgium | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Sat, Jun 27 | 3:30 AM (Jun 28) | Panama vs England | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | 3:30 AM (Jun 28) | Croatia vs Ghana | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | 8:00 AM (Jun 28) | Colombia vs Portugal | Miami Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | 8:00 AM (Jun 28) | DR Congo vs Uzbekistan | Atlanta Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | 9:30 AM (Jun 28) | Algeria vs Austria | Kansas City Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | 9:30 AM (Jun 28) | Jordan vs Argentina | Dallas Stadium |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage Schedule
Once the groups conclude, the knockouts begin with a brand-new Round of 32. In other words, FIFA introduces an extra elimination round to accommodate the expanded field. Furthermore, both Mexico and the USA were granted late kick-off windows to capture prime time at home.
Round of 32: June 28 – July 3, 2026
Notably, this is the first-ever Round of 32 in World Cup history. Sixteen matches will be played across six days, with two to four games per day.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Jun 28 | 4:30 AM (Jun 29) | 1B vs 2A | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 29 | 12:30 AM (Jun 30) | 1C vs 2F | Houston Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 29 | 4:00 AM (Jun 30) | 1E vs 3A/B/C/D/F | Boston Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 29 | 8:30 AM (Jun 30) | 1F vs 2C | Estadio Monterrey |
| Tue, Jun 30 | 12:30 AM (Jul 1) | 2E vs 2I | Dallas Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 30 | 4:30 AM (Jul 1) | 1I vs 3C/D/F/G/H | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 30 | 8:30 AM (Jul 1) | 1A vs 3C/E/F/H/I | Mexico City Stadium |
| Wed, Jul 1 | 10:30 PM | 1L vs 3E/H/I/J/K | Atlanta Stadium |
| Wed, Jul 1 | 5:30 AM (Jul 2) | 1J vs 3B/E/F/I/J | Seattle Stadium |
| Wed, Jul 1 | 9:30 AM (Jul 2) | 1K vs 3D/E/I/J/L | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Thu, Jul 2 | 4:30 AM (Jul 3) | 1D vs 3B/E/F/I/J | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Thu, Jul 2 | 5:30 AM (Jul 3) | 2H vs 2L | Toronto Stadium |
| Thu, Jul 2 | 12:30 PM (Jul 3) | 1H vs 2K | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Fri, Jul 3 | 2:30 AM (Jul 4) | 1G vs 2J | Dallas Stadium |
| Fri, Jul 3 | 4:30 AM (Jul 4) | 2B vs 2D | Miami Stadium |
| Fri, Jul 3 | 9:00 AM (Jul 4) | 2G vs 3A/D/E/G/H | Kansas City Stadium |
Round of 16: July 4 – July 7, 2026
Subsequently, the field narrows to 16. Specifically, eight matches play out across four days, with venues spread across all three host nations.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jul 4 | 12:30 AM (Jul 5) | Round of 16 Match 1 | Houston Stadium |
| Sat, Jul 4 | 4:30 AM (Jul 5) | Round of 16 Match 2 | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Sun, Jul 5 | 2:30 AM (Jul 6) | Round of 16 Match 3 | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Sun, Jul 5 | 7:30 AM (Jul 6) | Round of 16 Match 4 | Mexico City Stadium |
| Mon, Jul 6 | 2:30 AM (Jul 7) | Round of 16 Match 5 | Dallas Stadium |
| Mon, Jul 6 | 9:30 AM (Jul 7) | Round of 16 Match 6 | Seattle Stadium |
| Tue, Jul 7 | 10:30 PM | Round of 16 Match 7 | Atlanta Stadium |
| Tue, Jul 7 | 5:30 AM (Jul 8) | Round of 16 Match 8 | BC Place, Vancouver |
Quarterfinals: July 9 – July 11, 2026
Then, the final eight battle it out across four iconic stadiums. Furthermore, by this stage, the title contenders typically reveal themselves.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jul 9 | 2:30 AM (Jul 10) | Quarterfinal 1 | Boston Stadium |
| Fri, Jul 10 | 4:30 AM (Jul 11) | Quarterfinal 2 | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Sat, Jul 11 | 3:30 AM (Jul 12) | Quarterfinal 3 | Miami Stadium |
| Sat, Jul 11 | 8:30 AM (Jul 12) | Quarterfinal 4 | Kansas City Stadium |
Semifinals, Bronze Medal Match, And Final
Last but not least, the business ends. Both semifinals land in the USA, while the final returns to the New York metro area for the first time since 1994.
| Date | IST Time | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Jul 14 | 2:30 AM (Jul 15) | Semifinal 1 | Dallas Stadium |
| Wed, Jul 15 | 1:30 AM (Jul 16) | Semifinal 2 | Atlanta Stadium |
| Sat, Jul 18 | 3:30 AM (Jul 19) | 3rd Place Playoff | Miami Stadium |
| Sun, Jul 19 | 1:30 AM (Jul 20) | FIFA World Cup 2026 Final | New York New Jersey Stadium |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Cities And Venues
Geographically, this is the most expansive World Cup ever. Specifically, 16 host cities spread across three countries: 11 in the USA, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. Additionally, FIFA renamed each venue to avoid sponsor conflicts.
| FIFA Venue Name | Common Name | City | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City Stadium | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City | Mexico |
| Estadio Guadalajara | Estadio Akron | Zapopan | Mexico |
| Estadio Monterrey | Estadio BBVA | Guadalupe | Mexico |
| Toronto Stadium | BMO Field | Toronto | Canada |
| BC Place | BC Place | Vancouver | Canada |
| Atlanta Stadium | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta | USA |
| Boston Stadium | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough | USA |
| Dallas Stadium | AT&T Stadium | Arlington | USA |
| Houston Stadium | NRG Stadium | Houston | USA |
| Kansas City Stadium | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City | USA |
| Los Angeles Stadium | SoFi Stadium | Inglewood | USA |
| Miami Stadium | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens | USA |
| New York New Jersey Stadium | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford | USA |
| Philadelphia Stadium | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia | USA |
| San Francisco Bay Stadium | Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara | USA |
| Seattle Stadium | Lumen Field | Seattle | USA |
Final Word: FIFA World Cup 2026 Starts From 11th June 2026
Ultimately, the FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule delivers 104 matches across 39 days, three host nations, and 16 cities.
Notably, the new Round of 32 stage adds extra drama, while debutants Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan bring fresh storylines.
Above all, Indian fans should prepare for late nights, with most knockouts landing between 12:30 AM and 8:30 AM IST. Bookmark this page; we will update fixtures, results, and knockout matchups as the tournament unfolds from June 11 to July 19, 2026.