World Cup 2026 Full Match Schedule — All 104 Games
Complete FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule with all 104 matches from June 11 to July 19. Dates, kickoff times, venues, and TV info.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest edition in the tournament’s history. With 48 teams, 104 matches, and 16 venues spread across three countries, the schedule is a massive logistical undertaking that spans 39 days from June 11 to July 19, 2026. This page provides the definitive guide to every match date, kickoff window, and venue assignment throughout the tournament.
Tournament Overview
The 2026 World Cup introduces a new expanded format that increases the total number of matches from 64 (in the 32-team era) to 104. Here is a quick breakdown of how those matches are distributed:
- Group Stage: 96 matches (48 teams in 12 groups of 4, each team plays 3 games)
- Round of 32: 16 matches (top 2 from each group plus 8 best third-placed teams)
- Round of 16: 8 matches
- Quarterfinals: 4 matches
- Semifinals: 2 matches
- Third-Place Playoff: 1 match
- Final: 1 match
The tournament is hosted jointly by the United States (11 venues), Mexico (3 venues), and Canada (2 venues). The vast majority of knockout-stage matches take place on US soil, including all quarterfinals, both semifinals, and the Final at MetLife Stadium.
Group Stage Schedule (June 11–28)
The group stage runs for 18 days and accounts for the bulk of the tournament’s matches. With 96 games to fit into this window, matchdays are packed with action from morning through late evening.
Week 1 (June 11–17) — Matchday 1 for all groups: The opening round sees every team play their first game. Mexico vs South Africa opens the tournament on June 11 at Estadio Azteca. Over the following six days, all 48 teams take the field for the first time. Expect 4–6 matches per day during this stretch, with staggered kickoff times to avoid overlap on TV broadcasts.
Week 2 (June 18–22) — Matchday 2: The second round of group matches begins. By now, the picture starts to clarify as teams have a result on the board. Some groups may already have teams on the brink of elimination, while others remain wide open. Scheduling tends to keep groups together so that both games in a group happen on the same day where possible.
Week 3 (June 23–28) — Matchday 3 (final group games): The decisive final round of group matches. FIFA schedules the last two games in each group to kick off simultaneously, preventing any team from knowing the other result in advance. This is where dramatic scenarios unfold — teams fighting for second place, third-place calculations, and goal-difference tiebreakers all come into play across the 12 groups.
Knockout Round Schedule (June 29–July 19)
Once the group stage concludes on June 28, the tournament shifts into single-elimination mode. Every match from this point forward is win-or-go-home.
Round of 32 (June 29 – July 2): This is a new stage introduced with the 48-team format. The 24 group winners and runners-up advance automatically, joined by the 8 best third-placed teams. Sixteen matches over four days determine who moves on. Games are spread across multiple US venues.
Round of 16 (July 3–6): Eight matches over four days whittle the field from 16 to 8. The intensity ramps up significantly at this stage, and matches are assigned to the largest venues in the tournament.
Quarterfinals (July 9–10): Four matches over two days. All quarterfinals are held at US venues. These games determine the semifinalists and are historically among the most memorable World Cup matches.
Semifinals (July 15–16): Two matches on consecutive days. The venues for the semifinals are among the premier stadiums in the United States. Winners advance to the Final; losers contest the third-place match.
Third-Place Playoff (July 18): Held one day before the Final, this match gives the losing semifinalists one more chance to compete for a medal.
Final (July 19): The 2026 World Cup Final takes place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With a capacity of over 82,000 and its proximity to New York City, it will be one of the most-watched sporting events in history.
Match Schedule by Week
Here is a week-by-week summary of the tournament:
| Week | Dates | Stage | Approx. Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | June 11–17 | Group MD1 | 24 matches |
| Week 2 | June 18–22 | Group MD2 | 24 matches |
| Week 3 | June 23–28 | Group MD3 | 48 matches |
| Week 4 | June 29–July 2 | Round of 32 | 16 matches |
| Week 5 | July 3–6 | Round of 16 | 8 matches |
| Week 6 | July 9–10 | Quarterfinals | 4 matches |
| Rest | July 11–14 | Rest days | 0 matches |
| Week 7 | July 15–16 | Semifinals | 2 matches |
| Week 7 | July 18 | Third Place | 1 match |
| Week 7 | July 19 | Final | 1 match |
Note that there are built-in rest days between rounds to allow teams recovery time and give fans a chance to travel between host cities.
How to Follow the Schedule
Keeping track of 104 matches across multiple time zones requires some planning. Here are the best ways to stay on top of the schedule:
TV Broadcasts (US): FOX Sports holds the English-language rights in the United States. Matches will air on FOX and FS1, with streaming available on the FOX Sports app. Telemundo has Spanish-language rights, with streaming on Peacock.
Official FIFA App: The FIFA+ app provides match schedules, live scores, highlights, and push notifications for every game. It automatically adjusts kickoff times to your local time zone.
Calendar Sync: You can download the full schedule as an .ics file and import it into Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook. We provide a downloadable calendar file on our calendar download page.
Time Zone Tips: With venues stretching from Vancouver (Pacific Time) to New York (Eastern Time) and Mexico City (Central Time), kickoff times vary widely. Most prime-time matches for US audiences will kick off between 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM ET.
Venue Distribution
The 104 matches are distributed across 16 stadiums in three countries. The United States hosts the lion’s share:
USA (11 venues, ~78 matches): MetLife Stadium (NJ), SoFi Stadium (LA), AT&T Stadium (Dallas), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), NRG Stadium (Houston), Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Lumen Field (Seattle), Levi’s Stadium (San Francisco), Gillette Stadium (Boston), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City)
Mexico (3 venues, ~13 matches): Estadio Azteca (Mexico City), Estadio Akron (Guadalajara), Estadio BBVA (Monterrey)
Canada (2 venues, ~13 matches): BMO Field (Toronto), BC Place (Vancouver)
All matches from the quarterfinals onward are held exclusively at US stadiums, with MetLife Stadium hosting the Final on July 19.
This schedule page will be updated as FIFA confirms specific match assignments, kickoff times, and broadcast details. Bookmark this page and check back regularly for the latest information.