When does the FIFA World Cup 2026 start and end?

The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, spanning 39 days. Mexico plays the opening match against South Africa at Estadio Azteca on June 11 at 3:00 PM ET. The final takes place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19 at 3:00 PM ET.

How many teams are playing in the 2026 World Cup?

All 48 teams are now confirmed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This is an expansion from the previous 32-team format. The final six spots were decided on March 31, 2026 via the UEFA Playoffs and Inter-Confederation Playoffs.

Which countries are hosting the 2026 World Cup?

Three nations are co-hosting: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The USA hosts 78 of the 104 matches including all games from the quarterfinals onward. Canada and Mexico each host 13 matches across 2 and 3 cities respectively.

How many matches will be played in the 2026 World Cup?

104 matches will be played across 16 stadiums in 16 cities over 39 days. This is up from 64 matches in Qatar 2022, due to the expanded 48-team format and the introduction of a brand new Round of 32 knockout stage.

How does the new 48-team format work?

The 48 teams are split into 12 groups of 4. The top 2 from each group plus the 8 best third-placed teams advance to a brand new Round of 32. From there it is straight knockout football through the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final.

Where is the FIFA World Cup 2026 final being held?

The final is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 19, 2026. Kickoff is at 3:00 PM ET. The stadium holds over 82,000 fans and is located about 10 miles from New York City. It will also host the first ever World Cup Final halftime show.

How much do FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets cost?

Tickets start from $60 for group stage matches. Final tickets start from $6,730. FIFA is using dynamic pricing for the first time, so prices vary by match demand. The final ticket sale phase opened on April 1, 2026 via the official FIFA portal.

What are the group stage kickoff times for World Cup 2026?

All official kickoff times are listed in Eastern Time (ET). Group stage slots are typically 12:00 PM ET, 3:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM ET, 9:00 PM ET, and 10:00 PM ET depending on venue and date. The opening match kicks off at 3:00 PM ET on June 11.

Who are the last teams to qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

The last six teams to qualify were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Türkiye, and Czechia via the UEFA Playoffs, plus DR Congo and Iraq via the Inter-Confederation Playoffs. Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 on March 31, 2026, to become the 48th and final confirmed team.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Complete Match Schedule, Fixtures & Venue Guide

Q: Which teams are making their World Cup debut in 2026?

Four nations are making their first ever FIFA World Cup appearance in 2026: Cape Verde (Group H), Curaçao (Group E), Jordan (Group J), and Uzbekistan (Group K). Curaçao is the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for a World Cup.

The wait is almost over. FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off on June 11, 2026, and for the first time in history, 48 nations will battle it out across three host countries, the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This is the biggest, most expanded World Cup ever played. 104 matches. 16 cities. 39 days. One champion crowned on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

FIFA 26 SCHEDULEGet Tickets

All 48 teams are now confirmed. The groups are set. The schedule is live. Whether you want the full FIFA 2026 match schedule, the complete list of all 48 qualified nations, or the latest FIFA World Cup 2026 updates, you are in the right place.

FIFA World Cup 2026™

11 June – 19 July 2026

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QUICK FACTS TABLE

Detail	Information
Tournament Dates	June 11 to July 19, 2026
Total Duration	39 days
Total Teams	48 (expanded from 32)
Total Matches	104 (up from 64)
Host Nations	USA, Canada, Mexico
Total Venues	16 stadiums across 16 cities
Opening Match	June 11 at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Final	July 19 at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
Draw Date	December 5, 2025, Washington D.C.
Squad Submission Deadline	May 30, 2026

TOURNAMENT FORMAT EXPLAINED

This is the first World Cup with 48 teams. FIFA split them into 12 groups of 4. The top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance to the knockout stage. That gives you 32 teams in the Round of 32 — a brand new stage never seen before in World Cup history.

Stage	Teams	Dates
Group Stage	48 teams, 12 groups	June 11 to June 28
Round of 32	32 teams	June 29 to July 4
Round of 16	16 teams	July 5 to July 8
Quarter-finals	8 teams	July 10 to July 12
Semi-finals	4 teams	July 15 to July 16
Third Place Play-off	2 teams	July 19
Final	2 teams	July 20 at MetLife Stadium

Teams reaching the final now play 8 matches instead of 7. Squad depth matters more than ever.

Click here to download Schedule in PDF

FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule

All times are Eastern Time (ET). The group stage runs from June 11 to June 27, 2026. Every team plays 3 matches. Top 2 from each group advance, plus the 8 best third-placed teams.

Matchday 1: June 11 to June 17

Date	Time (ET)	Group	Match	Venue
Thu, June 11	3:00 PM	A	Mexico vs South Africa	Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Thu, June 11	10:00 PM	A	South Korea vs Czechia	Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
Fri, June 12	3:00 PM	B	Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina	BMO Field, Toronto
Fri, June 12	9:00 PM	D	USA vs Paraguay	SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Sat, June 13	12:00 AM	D	Australia vs Türkiye	BC Place, Vancouver
Sat, June 13	3:00 PM	B	Qatar vs Switzerland	Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco
Sat, June 13	6:00 PM	C	Brazil vs Morocco	MetLife Stadium, New York/NJ
Sat, June 13	9:00 PM	C	Haiti vs Scotland	Gillette Stadium, Boston
Sun, June 14	1:00 PM	E	Germany vs Curaçao	NRG Stadium, Houston
Sun, June 14	4:00 PM	F	Netherlands vs Japan	AT&T Stadium, Dallas
Sun, June 14	7:00 PM	E	Côte d’Ivoire vs Ecuador	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Sun, June 14	10:00 PM	F	Sweden vs Tunisia	Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
Mon, June 15	12:00 PM	H	Spain vs Cabo Verde	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Mon, June 15	3:00 PM	G	Belgium vs Egypt	Lumen Field, Seattle
Mon, June 15	6:00 PM	H	Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Mon, June 15	9:00 PM	G	IR Iran vs New Zealand	SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Tue, June 16	3:00 PM	I	France vs Senegal	MetLife Stadium, New York/NJ
Tue, June 16	6:00 PM	I	Iraq vs Norway	Gillette Stadium, Boston
Tue, June 16	9:00 PM	J	Argentina vs Algeria	Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Tue, June 16	12:00 AM	J	Austria vs Jordan	Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco
Wed, June 17	1:00 PM	K	Portugal vs Congo DR	NRG Stadium, Houston
Wed, June 17	4:00 PM	L	England vs Croatia	AT&T Stadium, Dallas
Wed, June 17	7:00 PM	L	Ghana vs Panama	BMO Field, Toronto
Wed, June 17	10:00 PM	K	Uzbekistan vs Colombia	Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Matchday 2: June 18 to June 23

Date	Time (ET)	Group	Match	Venue
Thu, June 18	12:00 PM	A	Czechia vs South Africa	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Thu, June 18	3:00 PM	B	Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina	SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Thu, June 18	6:00 PM	B	Canada vs Qatar	BC Place, Vancouver
Thu, June 18	9:00 PM	A	Mexico vs South Korea	Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
Fri, June 19	12:00 AM	D	Türkiye vs Paraguay	Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco
Fri, June 19	3:00 PM	D	USA vs Australia	Lumen Field, Seattle
Fri, June 19	6:00 PM	C	Scotland vs Morocco	Gillette Stadium, Boston
Fri, June 19	9:00 PM	C	Brazil vs Haiti	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Sat, June 20	12:00 AM	F	Tunisia vs Japan	Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
Sat, June 20	1:00 PM	F	Netherlands vs Sweden	NRG Stadium, Houston
Sat, June 20	4:00 PM	E	Germany vs Côte d’Ivoire	BMO Field, Toronto
Sat, June 20	8:00 PM	E	Ecuador vs Curaçao	Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Sun, June 21	12:00 PM	H	Spain vs Saudi Arabia	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Sun, June 21	3:00 PM	G	Belgium vs IR Iran	SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Sun, June 21	6:00 PM	H	Uruguay vs Cabo Verde	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Sun, June 21	9:00 PM	G	New Zealand vs Egypt	BC Place, Vancouver
Mon, June 22	1:00 PM	J	Argentina vs Austria	AT&T Stadium, Dallas
Mon, June 22	5:00 PM	I	France vs Iraq	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Mon, June 22	8:00 PM	I	Norway vs Senegal	MetLife Stadium, New York/NJ
Mon, June 22	11:00 PM	J	Jordan vs Algeria	Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco
Tue, June 23	1:00 PM	K	Portugal vs Uzbekistan	NRG Stadium, Houston
Tue, June 23	4:00 PM	L	England vs Ghana	Gillette Stadium, Boston
Tue, June 23	7:00 PM	L	Panama vs Croatia	BMO Field, Toronto
Tue, June 23	10:00 PM	K	Colombia vs Congo DR	Estadio Akron, Guadalajara

Matchday 3: June 24 to June 27

Both matches in each group kick off at the same time

Date	Time (ET)	Group	Match	Venue
Wed, June 24	3:00 PM	B	Switzerland vs Canada	BC Place, Vancouver
Wed, June 24	3:00 PM	B	Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar	Lumen Field, Seattle
Wed, June 24	6:00 PM	C	Scotland vs Brazil	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Wed, June 24	6:00 PM	C	Morocco vs Haiti	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Wed, June 24	9:00 PM	A	Czechia vs Mexico	Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Wed, June 24	9:00 PM	A	South Africa vs South Korea	Estadio BBVA, Monterrey
Thu, June 25	4:00 PM	E	Curaçao vs Côte d’Ivoire	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Thu, June 25	4:00 PM	E	Ecuador vs Germany	MetLife Stadium, New York/NJ
Thu, June 25	7:00 PM	F	Japan vs Sweden	AT&T Stadium, Dallas
Thu, June 25	7:00 PM	F	Tunisia vs Netherlands	Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Thu, June 25	10:00 PM	D	Türkiye vs USA	SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
Thu, June 25	10:00 PM	D	Paraguay vs Australia	Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco
Fri, June 26	3:00 PM	I	Norway vs France	Gillette Stadium, Boston
Fri, June 26	3:00 PM	I	Senegal vs Iraq	BMO Field, Toronto
Fri, June 26	8:00 PM	H	Cabo Verde vs Saudi Arabia	NRG Stadium, Houston
Fri, June 26	8:00 PM	H	Uruguay vs Spain	Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
Fri, June 26	11:00 PM	G	Egypt vs IR Iran	Lumen Field, Seattle
Fri, June 26	11:00 PM	G	New Zealand vs Belgium	BC Place, Vancouver
Sat, June 27	5:00 PM	L	Panama vs England	MetLife Stadium, New York/NJ
Sat, June 27	5:00 PM	L	Croatia vs Ghana	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Sat, June 27	7:30 PM	K	Colombia vs Portugal	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Sat, June 27	7:30 PM	K	Congo DR vs Uzbekistan	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Sat, June 27	10:00 PM	J	Algeria vs Austria	Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Sat, June 27	10:00 PM	J	Jordan vs Argentina	AT&T Stadium, Dallas

KNOCKOUT STAGE SCHEDULE

Stage	Dates	Venue Cities
Round of 32	June 29 to July 4	Across all host cities
Round of 16	July 5 to July 8	Houston, Philadelphia, NY/NJ, Mexico City, Dallas, Seattle, Atlanta, Vancouver
Quarter-finals	July 10 to July 12	Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Kansas City
Semi-finals	July 15 and July 16	Dallas, Atlanta
Third Place	July 19	Miami (Hard Rock Stadium)
Final	July 20	New Jersey (MetLife Stadium)

ALL 48 QUALIFIED TEAMS BY GROUP

All groups are now finalised following the UEFA Playoffs and Inter-Confederation Playoffs completed on March 31, 2026. Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 and DR Congo beat Jamaica 1-0 to claim the final two spots.

Group	Teams
A	Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Czechia
B	Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
C	Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
D	USA, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye
E	Germany, Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador
F	Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
G	Belgium, Egypt, IR Iran, New Zealand
H	Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
I	France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
J	Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
K	Portugal, Congo DR, Uzbekistan, Colombia
L	England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

GroupTeamsAMexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, CzechiaBCanada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, SwitzerlandCBrazil, Morocco, Haiti, ScotlandDUSA, Paraguay, Australia, TürkiyeEGermany, Curaçao, Côte d'Ivoire, EcuadorFNetherlands, Japan, Sweden, TunisiaGBelgium, Egypt, IR Iran, New ZealandHSpain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, UruguayIFrance, Senegal, Iraq, NorwayJArgentina, Algeria, Austria, JordanKPortugal, Congo DR, Uzbekistan, ColombiaLEngland, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

First-Time Qualifiers at This Tournament

Cape Verde (Africa) — World Cup debut
Curaçao (Caribbean) — smallest nation ever to qualify
Jordan (Asia) — World Cup debut
Uzbekistan (Asia) — World Cup debut

Notable Returns

Iraq — back for first time since 1986 (40 years)
DR Congo — back for first time since 1974 (52 years)
Bosnia and Herzegovina — back after 12 years
Sweden — back after missing 2018 and 2022
Türkiye — back for first time since 2002

THE 16 VENUES AT A GLANCE

Venue	City	Capacity	Key Matches
Estadio Azteca	Mexico City	87,523	Opening match June 11
MetLife Stadium	New York/NJ	82,500	The Final
AT&T Stadium	Dallas	80,000+	9 matches total
Arrowhead Stadium	Kansas City	76,416	Group stage and knockouts
NRG Stadium	Houston	72,220	Group stage and knockouts
Mercedes-Benz Stadium	Atlanta	71,000	Group stage and semi-final
SoFi Stadium	Los Angeles	70,240	Group stage and knockouts
Lumen Field	Seattle	68,740	Group stage and knockouts
Levi’s Stadium	San Francisco	68,500	Group stage
Lincoln Financial Field	Philadelphia	67,594	Group stage and knockouts
Hard Rock Stadium	Miami	64,767	Third-place play-off
Gillette Stadium	Boston	64,628	Group stage and knockouts
BC Place	Vancouver	54,500	Group stage and knockouts
Estadio BBVA	Monterrey	53,500	Group stage
Estadio Akron	Guadalajara	49,813	Group stage
BMO Field	Toronto	45,736	Group stage

Three venues have been used in World Cups before: Estadio Azteca (1970, 1986), making 2026 its historic third appearance as a World Cup host venue.

HOST NATION BREAKDOWN

Host	Matches	Notable
United States	78 matches	All knockout games from QF onwards
Mexico	13 matches	Opening match at Estadio Azteca
Canada	13 matches	First ever time hosting a World Cup

TICKETS

The final phase of FIFA World Cup 2026 ticket sales opened on April 1, 2026. This is the last public sale window before the tournament begins.

Match Type	Starting Price
Group Stage	From $60
Round of 32	Dynamic pricing
Round of 16	Dynamic pricing
Quarter-finals	Premium pricing
Semi-finals	High-tier pricing
Final	From $6,730

Tickets are sold through the official FIFA platform only. Maximum 4 tickets per match per person and 40 across the full tournament. For full info visit the FIFA 2026 tickets guide.

OFFICIAL MASCOTS

Three mascots represent the three host nations:

Maple (Moose) — Canada
Zayu (Jaguar) — Mexico
Clutch (Bald Eagle) — United States

CONFEDERATION SLOTS BREAKDOWN

Confederation	Spots
UEFA (Europe)	16
CAF (Africa)	9
AFC (Asia)	8 + 1 via playoff
CONCACAF	6 (3 hosts + 3)
CONMEBOL (South America)	6 + 1 via playoff
OFC (Oceania)	1 + 1 via playoff

For the first time in World Cup history, all six confederations have at least one guaranteed spot. 26 of the 48 teams also appeared at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Official Match Ball: Adidas Trionda

Special Features

Maple leaf for Canada
Golden eagle for Mexico
Five-pointed star for United States
Gold embellishments representing World Cup Trophy

Tournament Emblem

Unveiled at Los Angeles’s Griffith Observatory in May 2023:

Features stacked “26” design
Photographic image of World Cup Trophy (first time in emblem history)
Departure from traditional stylized representations
Mixed reception: criticized as unfinished, defended as beautiful
Each host city received customized variants reflecting local landmarks

FIFA Unveils Trionda: The Official Match Ball for 2026 World Cup

Official Music

Main Theme Song

Instrumental track: “FIFA World Cup 26 Theme Song”
Released May 17, 2023

City-Specific Remixes (March 2025) 16 artists from host cities created localized versions:

Atlanta: Dallas Austin
Boston: Ben Zakharenko, Dayvin, Berklee College of Music
Dallas: Tre Nagella
Philadelphia: DJ Jazzy Jeff
And 12 more unique interpretations

Creates musical tapestry celebrating North American diversity.

Broadcasting and Global Coverage

Television and streaming coverage will bring the tournament to billions of viewers worldwide.

Broadcasting Rights by Region

Region	English Rights	Spanish Rights	Notes
United States	Fox	NBCUniversal	Renewed Feb 2015
Canada	Bell Media	Bell Media	Full coverage
Puerto Rico	—	Futbol de Primeira (radio)	Audio coverage

International Broadcast Center

Location: Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas

Functions:

Technical hub coordinating global feeds
Central tournament location advantages
Serves broadcasters worldwide
Manages production logistics

FAQ’S About FIFA World Cup 2026

The tournament kicks off on **Thursday, June 11, 2026**, with Mexico taking on South Africa at the iconic **Estadio Azteca in Mexico City** at 3:00 PM ET. It runs through **July 19**, spanning 39 action-packed days. Estadio Azteca becomes the first stadium ever to host matches at three separate World Cups (1970, 1986, 2026).

Yes, all 48 teams are now confirmed as of March 31, 2026. The final six spots were decided through the UEFA Playoffs and the Inter-Confederation Playoffs. Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 to become the last team to qualify, with DR Congo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Türkiye, and Czechia also sealing their spots in the final rounds.

The 48 teams are split into 12 groups of 4. The top 2 from each group plus the 8 best third-placed teams advance — that is 32 teams in total. Those 32 then enter a brand new Round of 32, a knockout stage never seen at any previous World Cup. From there it is straight elimination through the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. Teams reaching the final now play 8 matches instead of 7.

The Last-Minute Sales Phase opened on April 1, 2026 at FIFA.com/tickets. This is the fourth and final official window, running on a first-come, first-served basis until the tournament ends. Group stage tickets start from $60, with final tickets starting around $4,185 in this phase (up from earlier windows). You must have a FIFA ID to purchase, and tickets are managed through the FIFA World Cup 2026 App, not Ticketmaster. FIFA also reopened its official resale marketplace on April 2 for fans who can no longer attend.

Tunisia vs Japan on June 20 at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey is the officially confirmed 1,000th match in FIFA World Cup history. Kickoff is at 12:00 AM ET (early hours of June 20 in the US, late evening June 19 locally in Mexico).

In the USA, all 104 matches air across FOX (70 games) and FS1 (34 games), with every match also streaming on the FOX Sports App and FOX One in 4K. Spanish coverage is on Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock. A record 40 matches air in primetime.

All official times are in Eastern Time (ET). Group stage slots are 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM, 9:00 PM, and 10:00 PM ET depending on venue. The opening match is at 3:00 PM ET on June 11 and the final is also at 3:00 PM ET on July 19

The final is on July 19, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, near New York City. It holds over 82,000 fans and will feature the first ever live halftime show at a World Cup final, produced by Global Citizen with Coldplay’s Chris Martin as creative partner

Group J (Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan) has the highest average Opta Power Rating at 77.1. Group I (France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway) is also widely considered very competitive. Group L features England vs Croatia, a direct rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal.

Four nations are appearing at a FIFA World Cup for the first time: Cape Verde (Group H), Curaçao (Group E), Jordan (Group J), and Uzbekistan (Group K). Curaçao is the smallest nation by population ever to qualify. Iraq returns after 40 years and DR Congo after 52 years.