FIFA World Cup schedule 2026: Complete match dates, times, team fixtures for soccer tournament

The World Cup is going big for the 2026 edition of soccer's most illustrious tournament.

FIFA has decided to expand the World Cup field, while returning to North America for the very first edition of the competition to be hosted across three countries.

Held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the 2026 tournament is being contested by 48 teams, making this the biggest World Cup ever. The U.S. and Mexico have hosted before: the former staged the 1994 edition, while both the 1970 and 1986 finals took place in Mexico. For Canada, staging World Cup matches is a whole new experience.

The draw for the group stage was held on December 5, when all qualified nations learned their opponents and potential path to the final. The precise times and locations of all games were announced on Dec. 6.

Below, The Sporting News brings you an overview of the schedule, with results, kickoff times, venues, and highlights of all matches as they take place.

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World Cup 2026 tournament format

The 2026 World Cup is the first of the new expanded era of the competition. It features a 48-team field, with all competing nations beginning in the group stage.

At the draw, the teams were separated into 12 four-team groups, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout stage automatically. In addition, the top eight third-place finishers also progress to the knockouts.

From there, the 32-team knockout stage begins, in traditional single-elimination format. The third-place finishers are all matched up against group winners, with a restriction that no group-stage rematches can take place in the Round of 32.

The eventual semifinalists will play eight matches each: three in the group stage, and five in the knockouts (Round of 32, Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and either the final or third-place playoff match).

MORE: Live World Cup bracket projections | Updated standings and Round of 32 scenarios

Complete World Cup 2026 match schedule

The FIFA World Cup draw was held on December 5, 2025 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The teams were distributed across the 12 groups and their pathways to a potential final were made clear.

The hosts were already pre-assigned certain places in the group stage: Mexico are in Group A, Canada Group B, and the USA in Group D. Additionally, new rules dictate that the world's top-four sides according to the FIFA rankings — Spain, Argentina, France and England — will be on opposite sides of the bracket so they cannot meet until the latter stages.

WORLD CUP GROUP STANDINGS:

Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F
Group G | Group H | Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L

World Cup 2026 group stage

All venues and kickoff times for each group stage match were officially announced by FIFA one day after the draw, on December 6, 2025.

Q = qualified
E = eliminated

Group A table

Pos	Team	PTS	GP	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
1.	Mexico - Q	9	3	3	0	0	6	0	+6
2.	South Africa - Q	4	3	1	1	1	2	3	-1
3.	South Korea - E	3	2	1	1	0	2	2	0
4.	Czechia - E	1	3	0	2	1	2	6	-4

Group A fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Thu, Jun. 11	3 p.m.	Mexico 2, South Africa 0	Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX)
Thu, Jun. 11	10 p.m.	South Korea 2, Czechia 1	Estadio Akron (Guadalajara, MEX)
Thu, Jun. 18	12 p.m.	Czechia 1, South Africa 1	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
Thu, Jun. 18	9 p.m.	Mexico 1, South Korea	Estadio Akron (Guadalajara, MEX)
Wed, Jun. 24	9 p.m.	Mexico 3, Czechia 0	Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX)
Wed, Jun. 24	9 p.m.	South Africa 1, South Korea 0	Estadio BBVA (Monterrey, MEX)

STADIUM GUIDES: Estadio Azteca | Estadio Akron | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Estadio BBVA

Group B table

Pos.	Team	PTS	GP	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
1.	Switzerland -Q	7	3	2	0	1	7	3	+4
2.	Canada - Q	4	3	1	1	1	8	3	+5
3.	Bosnia and Herzegovina - Q	4	3	1	1	1	5	6	-1
4.	Qatar - E	1	3	0	2	1	2	10	-8

Group B fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Fri, Jun. 12	3 p.m.	Canada 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1	BMO Field (Toronto, CAN)
Sat, Jun. 13	3 p.m.	Qatar 1, Switzerland 1	Levi's Stadium (San Francisco, CA)
Thu, Jun. 18	3 p.m.	Switzerland 4, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1	SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
Thu, Jun. 18	6 p.m.	Canada 6,  Qatar 0	BC Place (Vancouver, CAN)
Wed, Jun. 24	3 p.m.	Switzerland 2 Canada 1	BC Place (Vancouver, CAN)
Wed, Jun. 24	3 p.m.	Bosnia and Herzegovina 3,  Qatar 1	Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)

STADIUM GUIDES: BMO Field | Levi's Stadium | SoFi Stadium | BC Place | Lumen Field

Group C table

PosTeamPTSGPWLDGFGAGD

1.	Brazil - Q	7	3	2	0	1	7	1	+6
2.	Morocco - Q	7	3	2	0	1	6	3	+3
3.	Scotland - E	3	3	1	2	0	1	4	-3
4.	Haiti - E	0	3	0	3	0	2	8	-6

Group C fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Sat, Jun. 13	6 p.m.	Brazil 1, Morocco 1	MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Sat, Jun. 13	9 p.m.	Scotland 1, Haiti 0	Gillette Stadium (Boston, MA)
Fri, Jun. 19	6 p.m.	Morocco 1, Scotland 0	Gillette Stadium (Boston, MA)
Fri, Jun. 19	9 p.m.	Brazil 3, Haiti 0	Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
Wed, Jun. 24	6 p.m.	Brazil 3, Scotland 0	Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, FL)
Wed, Jun. 24	6 p.m.	Morocco 4, Haiti 2	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)

Group D table

PosTeamPTSGPWLDGFGAGD

1.	United States - Q	6	3	2	1	0	8	4	+4
2.	Australia - Q	4	3	1	1	1	2	2	0
3.	Paraguay - Q	4	3	1	1	1	1	2	-1
4.	Turkey - E	3	3	1	2	0	4	7	-3

Group D fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Fri, Jun. 12	9 p.m.	United States 4, Paraguay 1	SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
Sun, Jun. 14	12 a.m.	Australia 2, Turkey 0	BC Place (Vancouver, CAN)
Fri, Jun. 19	3 p.m.	United States 2, Australia 0	Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)
Fri, Jun. 19	11 p.m.	Turkey 0, Paraguay 1	Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
Thu, Jun. 25	10 p.m.	Turkey 3, United States 2	SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
Thu, Jun. 25	10 p.m.	Paraguay 0, Australia 0	Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)

STADIUM GUIDES: SoFi Stadium | BC Place | Levi's Stadium | Lumen Field

Group E table

TeamPTSGPWLDGFGAGD

1. Germany - Q	6	3	2	1	0	10	4	+6
2. Ivory Coast - Q	6	3	2	1	0	4	2	+2
3. Ecuador - Q	4	3	1	1	1	2	2	0
4. Curacao - E	1	3	0	2	1	1	9	-8

Group E fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Sun, Jun. 14	1 p.m.	Germany 7, Curacao 1	NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
Sun, Jun. 14	7 p.m.	Ivory Coast 1, Ecuador 0	Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
Sat, Jun. 20	4 p.m.	Germany 2, Ivory Coast 1	BMO Field (Toronto, CAN)
Sat, Jun. 20	8 p.m.	Ecuador 0, Curacao, 0	Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO)
Thu, Jun. 25	4 p.m.	Ecuador 2, Germany 1	MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Thu, Jun. 25	4 p.m.	Ivory Coast 2, Curacao 0	Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)

Group F table

Pos.TeamPTSGPWLDGFGAGD

1.	Netherlands - Q	7	3	2	0	1	9	3	+5
2.	Japan - Q	5	3	1	0	1	7	3	+4
3.	Sweden - Q	4	3	1	1	1	7	7	0
4.	Tunisia - E	0	2	0	2	0	2	12	-10

Group F fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Sun, Jun. 14	4 p.m.	Netherlands 2, Japan 2	AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Sun, Jun. 14	10 p.m.	Sweden 5, Tunisia 1	Estadio BBVA (Monterrey, MEX)
Sat, Jun. 20	1 p.m.	Netherlands 5, Sweden 1	NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
Sun, Jun. 21	12 a.m.	Japan 4, Tunisia 0	Estadio BBVA (Monterrey, MEX)
Thu, Jun. 25	7 p.m.	Netherlands 3, Tunisia 1	Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO)
Thu, Jun. 25	7 p.m.	Japan 1, Sweden 1	AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)

Group G table

TeamPTSGPWLDGFGAGD

1. Belgium - Q	5	3	1	0	2	5	3	+2
2. Egypt - Q	5	3	1	0	2	2	1	+1
3. Iran - E	3	3	0	0	3	3	3	0
4. New Zealand - E	1	3	0	2	1	3	6	-3

Group G fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Mon, Jun. 15	3 p.m.	Belgium 1, Egypt 1	Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)
Mon, Jun. 15	9 p.m.	Iran 2, New Zealand 2	SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
Sun, Jun. 21	3 p.m.	Belgium 0, Iran 0	SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
Sun, Jun. 21	9 p.m.	New Zealand 1, Egypt 3	BC Place (Vancouver, CAN)
Fri, Jun. 26	11 p.m.	Belgium 5, New Zealand 1	BC Place (Vancouver, CAN)
Fri, Jun. 26	11 p.m.	Egypt 1, Iran 1	Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)

Group H table

Pos.TeamPTSGPWDLGFGAGD

1.	Spain - Q	7	3	2	1	0	6	1	+5
2.	Cape Verde - Q	3	3	0	3	0	3	3	0
3.	Uruguay - E	2	3	0	2	1	3	4	-1
4.	Saudi Arabia - E	2	3	0	2	1	1	5	-4

Group H fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Mon, Jun. 15	12 p.m.	Spain 0, Cape Verde 0	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
Mon, Jun. 15	6 p.m.	Saudi Arabia 1, Uruguay 1	Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL)
Sun, Jun. 21	12 p.m.	Spain 4, Saudi Arabia 0	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
Sun, Jun. 21	6 p.m.	Uruguay 2, Cape Verde 2	Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL)
Fri, Jun. 26	8 p.m.	Spain 1, Uruguay 0	Estadio Akron (Guadalajara, MEX)
Fri, Jun. 26	8 p.m.	Cape Verde 0, Saudi Arabia 0	NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)

Group I table

Pos.TeamPTSGPWDLGFGAGD

1.	France - Q	9	3	3	0	0	10	2	+8
2.	Norway - Q	6	3	2	0	1	8	7	+1
3.	Senegal - Q	3	3	1	0	2	8	6	+2
4.	Iraq - E	0	3	0	0	3	1	12	-11

Group I fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Tue, Jun. 16	3 p.m.	France 3, Senegal 1	MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Tue, Jun. 16	6 p.m.	Norway 4, Iraq 1	Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
Mon, Jun. 22	5 p.m.	France 3, Iraq 0	Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
Mon, Jun. 22	8 p.m.	Norway 3, Senegal 2	MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Fri, Jun. 26	3 p.m.	France 4, Norway 1	Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
Fri, Jun. 26	3 p.m.	Senegal 5, Iraq 0	BMO Field (Toronto, CAN)

Group J table

Pos.TeamPTSGPWDLGFGAGD

1.	Argentina - Q	6	3	3	0	0	8	1	+7
2.	Austria - Q	4	3	1	1	1	6	6	0
3.	Algeria - Q	4	3	1	1	1	5	7	-2
4.	Jordan - E	0	3	0	0	3	3	8	-5

Group J fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Tue, Jun. 16	9 p.m.	Argentina 3, Algeria 1	Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO)
Wed, Jun. 17	12 a.m.	Austria 3, Jordan 1	Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
Mon, Jun. 22	1 p.m.	Argentina 2, Austria 0	AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Mon, Jun. 22	11 p.m.	Jordan 1, Algeria 2	Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
Sat, Jun. 27	10 p.m.	Argentina 3, Jordan 1	Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO)
Sat, Jun. 27	10 p.m.	Algeria 3, Austria 3	AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)

Group K table

Pos.TeamPTSGPWDLGFGAGD

1.	Colombia - Q	7	3	2	1	0	4	1	+3
2.	Portugal - Q	5	3	1	2	0	6	1	+5
3.	DR Congo - Q	4	3	1	1	1	4	3	+1
4.	Uzbekistan - E	0	3	0	0	3	2	11	-9

Group K fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Wed, Jun. 17	1 p.m.	Portugal 1, DR Congo 1	NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
Wed, Jun. 17	10 p.m.	Colombia 3, Uzbekistan 1	Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX)
Tue, Jun. 23	1 p.m.	Portugal 5, Uzbekistan 0	NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
Tue, Jun. 23	10 p.m.	Colombia 1, DR Congo 0	Estadio Akron (Guadalajara, MEX)
Sat, Jun. 27	7:30 p.m.	Colombia 0, Portugal 0	Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL)
Sat, Jun. 27	7:30 p.m.	DR Congo 3, Uzbekistan 1	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)

Group L table

Pos.TeamPTSGPWDLGFGAGD

1.	England - Q	7	3	2	1	0	6	2	+4
2.	Croatia - Q	6	3	2	0	1	5	5	0
3.	Ghana - Q	4	3	1	1	1	2	2	0
4.	Panama - E	0	2	0	0	2	0	2	-2

Group L fixtures

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Wed, Jun. 17	4 p.m.	England 4, Croatia 2	AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Wed, Jun. 17	7 p.m.	Ghana 1, Panama 0	BMO Field (Toronto, CAN)
Tue, Jun. 23	4 p.m.	England 0, Ghana 0	Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
Tue, Jun. 23	7 p.m.	Croatia 1, Panama 0	BMO Field (Toronto, CAN)
Sat, Jun. 27	5 p.m.	England 2, Panama 0	MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Sat, Jun. 27	5 p.m.	Croatia 2, Ghana 1	Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)

Ranking of World Cup 2026 third-place finishers

The top eight third-place finishers qualify for the knockout stage, while the bottom four are eliminated.

Table updated after final group games

Pos.TeamGroupPWDLGDPtsFIFA ranking

1	Sweden - Q	E	3	1	1	1	0	4	38
2	DR Congo - Q	K	3	1	1	1	0	4	46
3	Ghana - Q	L	3	1	1	1	0	4	65
4	Ecuador - Q	F	3	1	1	1	0	4	23
5	Bosnia and Herzegovina - Q	B	3	1	1	1	-1	4	64
6	Algeria - Q	J	3	1	1	1	-2	4	29
7	Paraguay - Q	D	3	1	1	1	-1	4	41
8	Senegal - Q	I	3	1	0	2	0	3	18
Qualification cut off (top 8 advance)
9	Iran	G	3	0	3	0	0	3	21
10	South Korea	A	3	1	0	2	-1	3	31
11	Scotland	C	3	1	0	2	-3	3	42
12	Uruguay	H	3	0	2	1	0	2	16

World Cup 2026 knockout stage

Round of 32

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Sun, Jun. 28	3 p.m.	M1: Canada 1, South Africa 0	SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
Mon, Jun. 29	1 p.m.	M4: Brazil 2, Japan 1	NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
Mon, Jun. 29	4:30 p.m.	M2: Paraguay 1 (pens 4-3), Germany 1	Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA)
Mon, Jun. 29	9 p.m.	M3: Netherlands vs. Morocco	Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe, MEX)
Tue, Jun. 30	1 p.m.	M6: Ivory Coast vs. Norway	AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Tue, Jun. 30	5 p.m.	M5: France vs. Sweden	MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Tue, Jun. 30	9 p.m.	M7: Mexico vs. Ecuador	Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX)
Wed, Jul. 1	12 p.m.	M8: England vs. DR Congo	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
Wed, Jul. 1	4 p.m.	M10: Belgium vs. Senegal	Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)
Wed, Jul. 1	8 p.m.	M9: United States vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina	Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
Thu, Jul. 2	3 p.m.	M12: Spain vs. Austria	SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
Thu, Jul. 2	7 p.m.	M11: Portugal vs. Croatia	BMO Field (Toronto, CAN)
Thu, Jul. 2	11 p.m.	M13: Switzerland vs. Algeria	BC Place (Vancouver, CAN)
Fr, Jul. 3	2 p.m.	M16: Australia vs. Egypt	AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Fri, Jul. 3	6 p.m.	M14: Argentina vs. Cape Verde	Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL)
Fri, Jul. 3	9:30 p.m.	M15: Colombia vs. Ghana	Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO)

Round of 16

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Sat, Jul. 4	1 p.m.	M2: Canada vs. Winner, R32 M3	NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
Sat, Jul. 4	5 p.m.	M1: Paraguay vs. Winner, R32 M5	Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA)
Sun, Jul. 5	4 p.m.	M3: Brazil vs. Winner, R32 M6	MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)
Sun, Jul. 5	8 p.m.	M4: Winner, R32 M7 vs. Winner, R32 M8	Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX)
Mon, Jul. 6	3 p.m.	M5: Winner, R32 M11 vs. Winner, R32 M12	AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Mon, Jul. 6	8 p.m.	M6: Winner, R32 M9 vs. Winner, R32 M10	Lumen Field (Seattle, WA)
Tue, Jul. 7	12 p.m.	M7: Winner, R32 M14 vs. Winner, R32 M16	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
Tue, Jul. 7	4 p.m.	M8: Winner, R32 M13 vs. Winner, R32 M15	BC Place (Vancouver, CAN)

Quarterfinals

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Thu, Jul. 9	4 p.m.	QF1: Winner, R16 M1 vs. Winner, R16 M2	Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA)
Fri, Jul. 10	3 p.m.	QF2: Winner, R16 M5 vs. Winner, R16 M6	SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)
Sat, Jul. 11	5 p.m.	QF3: Winner, R16 M3 vs. Winner, R16 M4	Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL)
Sat, Jul. 11	9 p.m.	QF4: Winner, R16 M7 vs. Winner, R16 M8	Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO)

Semifinals

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Tue, Jul. 14	3 p.m.	SF1: Winner, QF1 vs. Winner, QF2	AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Wed, Jul. 15	3 p.m.	SF2: Winner, QF3 vs. Winner, QF4	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA)

Third-place match

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Sat, Jul. 18	5 p.m.	Loser, SF1 vs. Loser, SF2	Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL)

Final

Date	Time (ET)	Match	Location
Sun, Jul. 19	3 p.m.	Winner, SF1 vs. Winner, SF2	MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ)