The countdown to the biggest football tournament on Earth has officially begun. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the largest FIFA World Cup ever, featuring 48 national teams, 104 matches, and three host countries for the first time in history: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. From football legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to rising leaders such as Kylian Mbappé and Martin Ødegaard, captains will carry the hopes of millions of fans around the world. We have the FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule, opening match details, knockout dates, and final venue all here for you!
What is FIFA?
FIFA stands for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association. It is the international organisation that controls world football and organises the FIFA World Cup.
When will the FIFA World Cup 2026 start?
The tournament will begin on 11 June 2026 and end with the final on 19 July 2026. The opening match will take place at the famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Mexico’s national team will play the first match of the tournament. Here are key dates:
| Stage | Dates |
|---|---|
| Group stage | 11 June to 27 June 2026 |
| Round of 32 | 28 June to 3 July 2026 |
| Round of 16 | 4 July to 7 July 2026 |
| Quarter-finals | 9 July to 11 July 2026 |
| Semi-finals | 14 July to 15 July 2026 |
| Third-place match | 18 July 2026 |
| Final | 19 July 2026 |
Read all about: FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw: Groups, teams and more!
What is new in FIFA World Cup 2026?
This World Cup will look very different from earlier editions. For the first time ever:
- 48 teams will participate instead of 32
- 104 matches will be played
- 12 groups will be created
- The top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams will qualify for the knockout stage
Which cities will host the FIFA World Cup 2026?
A total of 16 cities across North America will host matches.
United States host cities
- Los Angeles
- New York City / New Jersey
- Dallas
- Houston
- Atlanta
- Miami
- Seattle
- Boston
- Philadelphia
- Kansas City
- San Francisco
Canada host cities
- Toronto
- Vancouver
Mexico host cities
- Mexico City
- Guadalajara
- Monterrey
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FIFA World Cup 2026 venues, dates and schedule
| Day | Date | Teams | Group | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | 11 June 2026 | Mexico vs South Africa | Group A | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City |
| Thursday | 11 June 2026 | South Korea vs Czechia | Group A | Estadio Akron | Guadalajara |
| Friday | 12 June 2026 | Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | Group B | BMO Field | Toronto |
| Friday | 12 June 2026 | USA vs Paraguay | Group D | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
| Saturday | 13 June 2026 | Haiti vs Scotland | Group C | Gillette Stadium | Boston |
| Saturday | 13 June 2026 | Australia vs Türkiye | Group D | BC Place | Vancouver |
| Saturday | 13 June 2026 | Brazil vs Morocco | Group C | MetLife Stadium | New York/New Jersey |
| Saturday | 13 June 2026 | Qatar vs Switzerland | Group B | Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area |
| Sunday | 14 June 2026 | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador | Group E | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia |
| Sunday | 14 June 2026 | Germany vs Curaçao | Group E | NRG Stadium | Houston |
| Sunday | 14 June 2026 | Netherlands vs Japan | Group F | AT&T Stadium | Dallas |
| Sunday | 14 June 2026 | Sweden vs Tunisia | Group F | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey |
| Monday | 15 June 2026 | Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay | Group H | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami |
| Monday | 15 June 2026 | Spain vs Cape Verde | Group H | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta |
| Monday | 15 June 2026 | Iran vs New Zealand | Group G | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
| Monday | 15 June 2026 | Belgium vs Egypt | Group G | Lumen Field | Seattle |
| Tuesday | 16 June 2026 | France vs Senegal | Group I | MetLife Stadium | New York/New Jersey |
| Tuesday | 16 June 2026 | Iraq vs Norway | Group I | Gillette Stadium | Boston |
| Tuesday | 16 June 2026 | Argentina vs Algeria | Group J | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City |
| Tuesday | 16 June 2026 | Austria vs Jordan | Group J | Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area |
| Wednesday | 17 June 2026 | Ghana vs Panama | Group L | BMO Field | Toronto |
| Wednesday | 17 June 2026 | England vs Croatia | Group L | AT&T Stadium | Dallas |
| Wednesday | 17 June 2026 | Portugal vs Congo DR | Group K | NRG Stadium | Houston |
| Wednesday | 17 June 2026 | Uzbekistan vs Colombia | Group K | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City |
| Thursday | 18 June 2026 | Czechia vs South Africa | Group A | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta |
| Thursday | 18 June 2026 | Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | Group B | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
| Thursday | 18 June 2026 | Canada vs Qatar | Group B | BC Place | Vancouver |
| Thursday | 18 June 2026 | Mexico vs South Korea | Group A | Estadio Akron | Guadalajara |
| Friday | 19 June 2026 | Brazil vs Haiti | Group C | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia |
| Friday | 19 June 2026 | Scotland vs Morocco | Group C | Gillette Stadium | Boston |
| Friday | 19 June 2026 | Türkiye vs Paraguay | Group D | Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area |
| Friday | 19 June 2026 | USA vs Australia | Group D | Lumen Field | Seattle |
| Saturday | 20 June 2026 | Germany vs Ivory Coast | Group E | BMO Field | Toronto |
| Saturday | 20 June 2026 | Ecuador vs Curaçao | Group E | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City |
| Saturday | 20 June 2026 | Netherlands vs Sweden | Group F | NRG Stadium | Houston |
| Saturday | 20 June 2026 | Tunisia vs Japan | Group F | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey |
| Sunday | 21 June 2026 | Uruguay vs Cape Verde | Group H | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami |
| Sunday | 21 June 2026 | Spain vs Saudi Arabia | Group H | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta |
| Sunday | 21 June 2026 | Belgium vs Iran | Group G | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
| Sunday | 21 June 2026 | New Zealand vs Egypt | Group G | BC Place | Vancouver |
| Monday | 22 June 2026 | Norway vs Senegal | Group I | MetLife Stadium | New York/New Jersey |
| Monday | 22 June 2026 | France vs Iraq | Group I | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia |
| Monday | 22 June 2026 | Argentina vs Austria | Group J | AT&T Stadium | Dallas |
| Monday | 22 June 2026 | Jordan vs Algeria | Group J | Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area |
| Tuesday | 23 June 2026 | England vs Ghana | Group L | Gillette Stadium | Boston |
| Tuesday | 23 June 2026 | Panama vs Croatia | Group L | BMO Field | Toronto |
| Tuesday | 23 June 2026 | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Group K | NRG Stadium | Houston |
| Tuesday | 23 June 2026 | Colombia vs Congo DR | Group K | Estadio Akron | Guadalajara |
| Wednesday | 24 June 2026 | Scotland vs Brazil | Group C | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami |
| Wednesday | 24 June 2026 | Morocco vs Haiti | Group C | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta |
| Wednesday | 24 June 2026 | Switzerland vs Canada | Group B | BC Place | Vancouver |
| Wednesday | 24 June 2026 | Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar | Group B | Lumen Field | Seattle |
| Wednesday | 24 June 2026 | Czechia vs Mexico | Group A | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City |
| Wednesday | 24 June 2026 | South Africa vs South Korea | Group A | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey |
| Thursday | 25 June 2026 | Curaçao vs Ivory Coast | Group E | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia |
| Thursday | 25 June 2026 | Ecuador vs Germany | Group E | MetLife Stadium | New York/New Jersey |
| Thursday | 25 June 2026 | Japan vs Sweden | Group F | AT&T Stadium | Dallas |
| Thursday | 25 June 2026 | Tunisia vs Netherlands | Group F | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City |
| Thursday | 25 June 2026 | Türkiye vs USA | Group D | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
| Thursday | 25 June 2026 | Paraguay vs Australia | Group D | Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area |
| Friday | 26 June 2026 | Norway vs France | Group I | Gillette Stadium | Boston |
| Friday | 26 June 2026 | Senegal vs Iraq | Group I | BMO Field | Toronto |
| Friday | 26 June 2026 | Egypt vs Iran | Group G | Lumen Field | Seattle |
| Friday | 26 June 2026 | New Zealand vs Belgium | Group G | BC Place | Vancouver |
| Friday | 26 June 2026 | Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia | Group H | NRG Stadium | Houston |
| Friday | 26 June 2026 | Uruguay vs Spain | Group H | Estadio Akron | Guadalajara |
| Saturday | 27 June 2026 | Panama vs England | Group L | MetLife Stadium | New York/New Jersey |
| Saturday | 27 June 2026 | Croatia vs Ghana | Group L | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia |
| Saturday | 27 June 2026 | Algeria vs Austria | Group J | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City |
| Saturday | 27 June 2026 | Jordan vs Argentina | Group J | AT&T Stadium | Dallas |
| Saturday | 27 June 2026 | Colombia vs Portugal | Group K | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami |
| Saturday | 27 June 2026 | Congo DR vs Uzbekistan | Group K | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta |
Round of 32
| Day | Date | Teams | Group | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 28 June 2026 | Group A Runners-Up vs Group B Runners-Up | Round of 32 | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
| Monday | 29 June 2026 | Group E Winners vs Best Third-Placed Team | Round of 32 | Gillette Stadium | Boston |
| Monday | 29 June 2026 | Group F Winners vs Group C Runners-Up | Round of 32 | Estadio BBVA | Monterrey |
| Monday | 29 June 2026 | Group C Winners vs Group F Runners-Up | Round of 32 | NRG Stadium | Houston |
| Tuesday | 30 June 2026 | Group I Winners vs Best Third-Placed Team | Round of 32 | MetLife Stadium | New York/New Jersey |
| Tuesday | 30 June 2026 | Group E Runners-Up vs Group I Runners-Up | Round of 32 | AT&T Stadium | Dallas |
| Tuesday | 30 June 2026 | Group A Winners vs Best Third-Placed Team | Round of 32 | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City |
| Wednesday | 1 July 2026 | Group L Winners vs Best Third-Placed Team | Round of 32 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta |
| Wednesday | 1 July 2026 | Group D Winners vs Best Third-Placed Team | Round of 32 | Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area |
| Wednesday | 1 July 2026 | Group G Winners vs Best Third-Placed Team | Round of 32 | Lumen Field | Seattle |
| Thursday | 2 July 2026 | Group K Runners-Up vs Group L Runners-Up | Round of 32 | BMO Field | Toronto |
| Thursday | 2 July 2026 | Group H Winners vs Group J Runners-Up | Round of 32 | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
| Thursday | 2 July 2026 | Group B Winners vs Best Third-Placed Team | Round of 32 | BC Place | Vancouver |
| Friday | 3 July 2026 | Group J Winners vs Group H Runners-Up | Round of 32 | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami |
| Friday | 3 July 2026 | Group K Winners vs Best Third-Placed Team | Round of 32 | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City |
| Friday | 3 July 2026 | Group D Runners-Up vs Group G Runners-Up | Round of 32 | AT&T Stadium | Dallas |
Round of 16
| Day | Date | Teams | Group | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 4 July 2026 | Match 74 Winner vs Match 77 Winner | Round of 16 | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia |
| Saturday | 4 July 2026 | Match 73 Winner vs Match 75 Winner | Round of 16 | NRG Stadium | Houston |
| Sunday | 5 July 2026 | Match 76 Winner vs Match 78 Winner | Round of 16 | MetLife Stadium | New York/New Jersey |
| Sunday | 5 July 2026 | Match 79 Winner vs Match 80 Winner | Round of 16 | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City |
| Monday | 6 July 2026 | Match 83 Winner vs Match 84 Winner | Round of 16 | AT&T Stadium | Dallas |
| Monday | 6 July 2026 | Match 81 Winner vs Match 82 Winner | Round of 16 | Lumen Field | Seattle |
| Tuesday | 7 July 2026 | Match 86 Winner vs Match 88 Winner | Round of 16 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta |
| Tuesday | 7 July 2026 | Match 85 Winner vs Match 87 Winner | Round of 16 | BC Place | Vancouver |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter-finals
| Day | Date | Teams | Group | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | 9 July 2026 | Match 89 Winner vs Match 90 Winner | Quarter-final | Gillette Stadium | Boston |
| Friday | 10 July 2026 | Match 93 Winner vs Match 94 Winner | Quarter-final | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
| Saturday | 11 July 2026 | Match 91 Winner vs Match 92 Winner | Quarter-final | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami |
| Saturday | 11 July 2026 | Match 95 Winner vs Match 96 Winner | Quarter-final | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City |
Semi-finals – FIFA World Cup 2026
| Day | Date | Teams | Group | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 14 July 2026 | Match 97 Winner vs Match 98 Winner | Semi-final | AT&T Stadium | Dallas |
| Wednesday | 15 July 2026 | Match 99 Winner vs Match 100 Winner | Semi-final | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta |
Third-place match
| Day | Date | Teams | Group | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 18 July 2026 | Match 101 Loser vs Match 102 Loser | Third-place match | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Match
| Day | Date | Teams | Group | Stadium | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 19 July 2026 | Match 101 Winner vs Match 102 Winner | Final | MetLife Stadium | New York/New Jersey |
Why is FIFA World Cup 2026 historic?
This tournament is special because:
- It is the first World Cup hosted by three countries together
- It will have the highest number of teams ever
- More nations from around the world will get a chance to qualify
- More matches mean more football excitement for fans
FAQs about FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule
How many teams will play in FIFA World Cup 2026?
A total of 48 teams will compete.
How many matches will be played?
There will be 104 matches.
Which country hosts the opening match?
Mexico will host the opening match in Mexico City.
Where is the FIFA World Cup 2026 final?
The final will be played in New Jersey near New York City.
Which countries are hosting FIFA World Cup 2026?
The United States, Canada, and Mexico are the official hosts.
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The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to become the biggest football celebration in history. With more teams, more matches, and three host nations working together, football fans around the world can expect an unforgettable tournament packed with drama, goals, and historic moments. Whether you support a football giant or a smaller underdog nation, the FIFA World Cup 2026 match schedule promises over a month of nonstop football excitement.
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