World Cup 2026: Full match schedule, groups, teams and start times

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkArgentina's Lionel Messi celebrates winning the World Cup with the trophy [Hannah Mckay/Reuters]By Kevin Hand and Hafsa AdilPublished On 11 Jun 202611 Jun 2026You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated World Cup 2026 page with all the latest news, match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.After years of planning, preparations, and no shortage of controversy, the FIFA World Cup 2026 is about to kickoff.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4World Cup opening ceremony: Who’s performing, when it starts, how to watchlist 2 of 4FIFA World Cup 2026 explained in maps and chartslist 3 of 4World Cup form guide: Ranking the eight MENA teams in the tournamentlist 4 of 4World Cup: Rating the chances of top European teams at the tournamentend of listThe event, cohosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, is the biggest in the competition’s history.The 23rd edition, which will be played in an expanded 48-team tournament, begins its 104 matches with Mexico against South Africa on Tuesday.Argentina are the defending champions, having lifted the trophy at Qatar 2022, but who will claim the prized title in global football this time?In the run-up to Thursday’s opening game, Al Jazeera has compiled the complete guide for everything you need to know about its teams, groups, format and schedule.What are the groups and teams for the FIFA World Cup 2026?⚽ Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic (South Korea), Czechia (Czech Republic) ⚽ Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland ⚽ Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland ⚽ Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkiye ⚽ Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador ⚽ Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia ⚽ Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand ⚽ Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay ⚽ Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway ⚽ Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan ⚽ Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia ⚽ Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, PanamaWhen and where is the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026?The tournament will open on June 11 at 1pm CST (19:00 GMT) at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico.When and where is the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026?MetLife Stadium, which will be called the New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament, will host the final on July 19 at 3pm ET (19:00 GMT).Why has FIFA changed the names of the stadiums hosting World Cup matches?In a move to restrict ambush marketing for brands not associated with FIFA, the governing body has changed stadium names for all venues to match the host city.Therefore, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has been rebranded as the New York New Jersey Stadium, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles has been renamed the Los Angeles Stadium for the tournament, and so on.What’s the format of the FIFA World Cup 2026?The tournament will consist of one group-stage round and four knockout rounds before the final.Unlike previous editions, the knockouts will begin with the round of 32, followed by the round of 16, the four quarterfinals and two semifinals.The stage-wise breakdown of the tournament’s schedule is:Group stage: June 11 – June 27 Round of 32: June 28 – July 3 Round of 16: July 4 – 7 Quarterfinals: July 9 – 11 Semifinals: July 14 – 15 Bronze medal match: July 18 Final: July 19What’s the full match schedule of the World Cup?Group stageThursday, June 11Mexico vs South Africa at 1pm CST (19:00 GMT) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, MexicoSouth Korea vs Czechia at 8pm CST (02:00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, MexicoFriday, June 12Canada vs Bosnia at 3pm ET (19:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, CanadaUSA vs Paraguay at 6pm PT (01:00 GMT on Saturday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, USSaturday, June 13Qatar vs Switzerland at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, USBrazil vs Morocco at 6pm ET (22:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, USHaiti vs Scotland at 9pm ET (01:00 GMT on Sunday) – Boston Stadium, Boston, USAustralia vs Turkiye at 6pm PT (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – BC Place, Vancouver, CanadaSunday, June 14Germany vs Curacao at 12pm CDT (17:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, USNetherlands vs Japan at 3pm CDT (20:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USIvory Coast vs Ecuador at 7pm ET (23:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, USSweden vs Tunisia at 8pm CST (02:00 GMT on Monday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, MexicoMonday, June 15Spain vs Cape Verde at 12pm ET (16:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, USBelgium vs Egypt at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, CanadaSaudi Arabia vs Uruguay at 6pm ET (22:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, USIran vs New Zealand at 6pm PT (01:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, USTuesday, June 16France vs Senegal at 3pm ET (19:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, USIraq vs Norway at 6pm ET (22:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, USArgentina vs Algeria at 8pm CDT (01:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, USAustria vs Jordan at 9pm PT (04:00 GMT on Wednesday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, USWednesday, June 17Portugal vs DRC at 12pm CDT (17:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, USEngland vs Croatia at 3pm CDT (20:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USGhana vs Panama at 7pm ET (23:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, CanadaUzbekistan vs Colombia at 8pm CST (02:00 GMT on Thursday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, MexicoThursday, June 18Czechia vs South Africa at 12pm ET (16:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, USSwitzerland vs Bosnia at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, USCanada vs Qatar at 3pm PT (22:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, CanadaMexico vs South Korea at 7pm CST (01:00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, MexicoFriday, June 19Scotland vs Morocco at 6pm ET (22:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, USUSA vs Australia at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, USBrazil vs Haiti at 8:30pm ET (00:30 GMT on Saturday) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, USTurkiye vs Paraguay at 9pm PT (03:00 GMT on Saturday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, USSaturday, June 20Netherlands vs Sweden at 12pm CDT (17:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, USGermany vs Ivory Coast at 4pm ET (20:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, CanadaEcuador vs Curacao at 7pm CDT (03:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, USTunisia vs Japan at 10pm CST (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, MexicoSunday, June 21Spain vs Saudi Arabia at 12pm ET (16:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, USBelgium vs Iran at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, USUruguay vs Cape Verde at 6pm ET (22:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, USNew Zealand vs Egypt at 6pm PT (01:00 GMT on Monday) – BC Place, Vancouver, CanadaMonday, June 22Argentina vs Austria at 12pm CDT (17:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USFrance vs Iraq at 5pm ET (21:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, USNorway vs Senegal at 8pm ET (00:00 GMT on Tuesday) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, USJordan vs Algeria at 8pm PT (03:00 GMT on Tuesday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, USTuesday, June 23Portugal vs Uzbekistan at 12pm CDT (17:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, USEngland vs Ghana at 4pm ET (20:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, USPanama vs Croatia at 7pm ET (23:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, CanadaColombia vs DRC at 8pm CST (02:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, MexicoWednesday, June 24Switzerland vs Canada at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, CanadaBosnia vs Qatar at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, USScotland vs Brazil at 6pm ET (22:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, USMorocco vs Haiti at 6pm ET (22:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, USCzechia vs Mexico at 7pm CST (01:00 GMT on Thursday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, MexicoSouth Africa vs South Korea at 7pm CST (01:00 GMT on Thursday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, MexicoThursday, June 25Ecuador vs Germany at 4pm ET (20:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, USCuracao vs Ivory Coast at 4pm ET (20:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, USJapan vs Sweden at 6pm CDT (23:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USTunisia vs Netherlands at 6pm CDT (23:00 GMT) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US,Turkiye vs USA at 7pm PT (02:00 GMT on Friday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, USParaguay vs Australia at 7pm PT (02:00 GMT on Friday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, USFriday, June 26Norway vs France at 3pm ET (19:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, USSenegal vs Iraq at 3pm ET (19:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, CanadaCape Verde vs Saudi Arabia at 7pm CDT (00:00 GMT on Saturday) – Houston Stadium, Houston, USUruguay vs Spain at 6pm CST (00:00 GMT on Saturday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, MexicoEgypt vs Iran at 8pm PT (03:00 GMT on Saturday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, USNew Zealand vs Belgium at 8pm PT (03:00 GMT on Saturday) – BC Place, Vancouver, CanadaSaturday, June 27Panama vs England at 5pm ET (21:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, USCroatia vs Ghana at 5pm ET (21:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, USColombia vs Portugal at 7:30pm ET (23:30 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, USDRC vs Uzbekistan at 7:30pm ET (23:30 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, USAlgeria vs Austria at 9pm CDT (02:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, USJordan vs Argentina at 9pm CDT (02:00 GMT on Sunday) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USKnockout stageSunday, June 28Round of 32 match at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, USMonday, June 29Round of 32 match at 12pm CDT (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, USRound of 32 match at 4:30pm ET (20:30 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, USRound of 32 match at 7pm CST (01:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, MexicoTuesday, June 30Round of 32 match at 12pm CDT (17:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USRound of 32 match at 5pm ET (21:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, USRound of 32 match at 7pm CST (01:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, MexicoWednesday, July 1Round of 32 match at 12pm ET (16:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, USRound of 32 match at 1pm PT (20:00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, USRound of 32 match at 5pm PT (20:00 GMT) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, USThursday, July 2Round of 32 match at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, USRound of 32 match at 7pm ET (23:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, CanadaRound of 32 match at 8pm PT (03:00 GMT on Friday) – BC Place, Vancouver, CanadaFriday, July 3Round of 32 match at 1pm CDT (18:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USRound of 32 match at 6pm ET (22:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, USRound of 32 match at 8:30pm CDT (01:30 GMT on Saturday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, USSaturday, July 4Round of 16 match at 12pm CDT (17:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, USRound of 16 match at 5pm ET (21:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, USSunday, July 5Round of 16 match at 4pm ET (20:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, USRound of 16 match at 6pm CST (00:00 GMT on Monday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, MexicoMonday, July 6Round of 16 match at 2pm CDT (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USRound of 16 match at 5pm PT (00:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, USTuesday, July 7Round of 16 match at 12pm ET (16:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, USRound of 16 match at 1pm PT (20:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, CanadaThursday, 9 JulyFirst quarterfinal at 4pm ET (20:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, USFriday, 10 JulySecond quarterfinal at 12pm PT (19:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, USSaturday, July 11Third quarterfinal at 5pm ET (20:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, USFourth quarterfinal at 8pm CDT (01:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, USTuesday, July 14First semifinal at 2pm CDT (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, USWednesday, July 15Second semifinal at 3pm ET (19:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, USSaturday, July 18Bronze medal match at 5pm ET (21:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, USSunday, July 19Final at 3pm ET (19:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US